Thiefmage Breaking the Habit
by Sek-Raktaa
Summary: Sek-Raktaa is an argonian, immortal (highlander-style) thiefmage. Settling down in Caldera, he opens up a small shop for antiques. Everything wents on smoothly, until Orvas Dren's interest in a certain artefact threatens to shatter it all.


Thiefmage – Breaking the Habit

Thiefmage – Breaking the Habit Soundtrack

Princes of the Universe – Queen

Don't lose your Head – Queen

It's a kind of Magic – Queen

Who want to live Forever – Queen

Breaking the Habit – Linkin Park

In the End – Linkin Park

Runaway – Linkin Park

Papercut – Linkin Park

From the Inside – Linkin Park

In the Shadows – The Rasmus

Still Standing – The Rasmus

In my Life – The Rasmus

Time to Burn – The Rasmus

Guilty – The Rasmus

Someday – Nickelback

Do this Anymore – Nickelback

Believe it or Not – Nickelback

Feelin' way to damn Good – Nickelback

Another Hole in the Head - Nickelback

The sun shone broadly and there wasn't a single cloud in the heaven. In other words, it was a nice, but hot summer day. Well, hot at least for the softskins. I loved summertime at Vvardenfell. It reminded me to the nice temperatures home in Black Marsh. But as much as I liked the day, it didn't change anything about the fact that four hours in the pure sun made somewhat thirsty.

By now I was on my way to Shenk's Shovel, making my way through the thick mass of people as good and quick as possible. Although the natives of Caldera had already hung up large sails of fabric to prevent the sun to heat everyone in the streets up to boiling point, it did little about cooling the air much. But at least the sails provided quite a lot of shadow in the streets of Caldera and made it more bearable for the people. The only thing however that troubled me a bit was the fact that the air around here, due to Red Mountain, was far drier than in my homelands. But all in all, that was just little of a problem so I shrugged it off. Finally I arrived at Shenk's Shovel and promptly entered.

Inside it was far cooler than outside, I wonder why, and it was dark enough for me to need a moment to adjust myself to the low level of light. As I thought, the tavern was very full. Most of the seats were already taken, just a few small spots were still free at the bar and everywhere stood people, chatting with one another.

Few took even notice from me, except maybe for a few members of the thieves and mages guild who happened to spend some free time in here, and greeted me with polite smiles and respectful nods. Responding to their gestures in similar ways, I finally made my way over towards the bar and ordered the only thing from what was available, that did not taste like rotten corpus meat or sleeping feet: Nordic mead. Right now I could kill for a good sidewinder fang, Sigh.

I was halfway done with my mead, as I suddenly noticed someone else in the tavern. In a small niece sat a female argonian all alone to herself. And she was the most beautiful creature I ever laid eyes upon. Taking another nip of the mead, I finally decided to pay her a little visit. It was over a century ago since I found something close to love. A relationship, even if it would be just a friendly relation and not anything close to lovers, would do me good. In a way, I was tired of killing now after my victory over Tyrande Rasi.

"May I have a seat?" I asked her politely. The argonian female just smiled and gestured her clawed hand. "Sure. Feel free to go, marsh brother." "Thanks, marsh sister." I responded smiling. "What's your name?" I asked her curios. "My name is Keel-Raniur, marsh brother, and your name would be?" "My name is Sek-Raktaa, marsh sister." I answered her. "Keel-Raniur you say? That's a nice name." She smiled, blushing slightly. "Thank you, kind Sek-Raktaa. Wait a moment, I know that name." She thought for a moment. "Aren't you the marsh brother who bought that empty house three blocks away from here?" "Yup, that's me." I responded proudly.

"I planned to open up a small shop for antiques. You know, getting a little away from the stressy routine." I continued further. "Stressing routine? What do you usually do then?" "Well, uhm…" I sweat dropped. "To say the truth, I'm a thiefmage. You know, doing this and that." "I see." She commented, grinning and blushing slightly. "So, you want to try to make some honest money for a change?" "That's what I planned to do." I answered truthfully. "Well, not quite. I thought about acquiring the one or the other item by a more… not-so-legal way." I added grinning.

"You don't make a great secret about your job, don't you?" She asked me with a slight note of sarcasm in her voice. "Well, usually I do, but you're an exception." I answered innocently, which resulted in Keel-Raniur blushing even more. "Say, what are you doing by the way?" I asked her after a short moment of silence.

Keel-Raniur looked for a moment into the room, seemingly in thought until she answered my question. "Well, usually I'm a commoner. I do everything what needs to be done, you know. Cooking, cleaning and the like." "I see. You said 'usually'. Is there anything you do else?" I asked curios. "I… well…" She evaded my gaze for a few seconds, until she sighed and looked me straight into the eyes. "To tell the truth, cooking and cleaning is boring, and if I have the time, I earn some extra money by selling my services. I'm quite good with the bow and the crossbow, you know."

"So, you're an archer then?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, that's how you could say it." I examined her from head to toe to tail. "Well, I must admit that I didn't expected you to be an archer." She leaned back and grinned, allowing me a good view of her white and very sharp looking teeth. "That's how it's supposed to be. There are times and circumstances, in which it's better to keep your real talents well hidden."

"That sounds familiar." I muttered more to myself than actually to her. Keel-Raniur blinked, then shrugged. "Well, I guess we all have our little secrets." She said simply. I decided to change the subject. "So, for how long have you lived here in Vvardenfell?" She thought for a moment, then nipped at her Sujamma to clear her throat. "Most of my life." She answered me. "I was born in Black Marsh, but my parents moved here to Vvardenfell when I was nine. They both have a farm near Pelagiad." I listened curiously to her, nodding at times until she finished. "Well, you don't look like a farmer's daughter to me. What brought you here to Caldera? I'm sure there are other reasons for you why moved here than the simply excuse for having a few adventures, or is there?"

She seemed uncomfortable for a moment, then relaxed again. "Well, to tell the truth, I moved here because I thought to find my big future here." She answered me. "How do mean that?" "Well, I don't know if I should tell you, but you're kind, Sek-Raktaa, and I got the feeling that I can trust you." She hesitated for a moment, then shrugged whatever thought had been on her mind off. "I'm also an artist." She said. I blinked for a few moments, then widened my eyes. "You mean, you're the argonian who made the sculpture of Akatosh on the market?" I asked her. She nodded. I had heard rumours that a free lance artist had manufactured a new sculpture of Akatosh and sold it to the city.

I thought for a moment, then nodded in appreciation. "That's a nice looking sculpture you made there. Your work is quite good if I may say so." She smiled warmly. "Thank you for your words, kind Sek-Raktaa. I didn't got much of appreciation for the sculpture was made by an argonian." I frowned. "These soft skins never learn." I muttered under my breath in disgust. Keel-Raniur shrugged slightly sad. I decided it was better to change the subject. "So, what do you usually do?" I asked her, now for the second time. "You mean besides having a few adventures as free lance archer for hire? Nothing much. I either earn my living with my art or my skills with the bow. Sometimes however I also worked wherever I could earn some fast money like to play the courier of a merchant or something of that kind." I nodded. "I see. And where do you live?"

"Not very far from your new shop." She answered my question. "Actually I live in a small house just a couple of metres from your house, so you could say that in a way I'm kind of an neighbour." "You do? That's good to know." I said smiling. "It's always good to live in a good neighbourhood." She smiled, but blushed slightly. "Say, do you have any experiences in bartering?" I asked her. She hesitated a moment, then nodded. "A few. I worked for a trader for a couple of days and I learned something, but it's not much. Why do you ask?" At that answer, I couldn't but grin from one fin to the other (A/N: first male argonian hair option), as I responded to her "Well, I might need a little help in running my business. After all I'm used more in... acquiring things from people in a more discrete way, then bartering honestly with them."

She giggled, then nodded. "Well, I think I see where the problem is. Well, if the payment is alright, then I'm gonna accept your offer, marsh brother." I smiled and bowed my head slightly in respect. "I thank you, marsh sister. I hope to see you soon." "When do you want me to begin?" I thought a moment before I answered "I still have clear a few things. Let's say tomorrow, at midday?" "I will be there." She answered, then rose up from her seat and left the tavern, while I leaned backwards and sighed happily. Well, looks like fortune finally smiles down upon me again.

It was quite a busy day, really. I still had to buy a whole lot of furniture for I had the feeling that I would reside for a very long time here in Caldera. And then I still had to gather a few displays to make sure that everything would be perfect. And finally I had to inform the thieves guild that this new shop belonged to one of its members and is not to be robbed, but in exchange to be used as short time storage for stolen goods. The day ended with me utterly tired falling into the bed of the bedroom on the first floor, and almost instantly I drifted into a deep sleep.

When I woke up again, the sun had already risen and, judging by the sun's height, it was late in the morning. Not very long until Keel-Raniur would arrive here. I rose up from my bed, dressed in a clean set of my usual black clothes and prepared breakfast. Or is it lunch? Doesn't matter. I just had finished cooking a large meal, when I heard knocks on the door downstairs. Leaving everything as it was, I walked downstairs and opened the door. Keel-Raniur stood outside, dressed in a expensive blue robe. "Uh... Am I to early?" She asked seeming slightly uncomfortable. "No, no, quite the contrary. You're just in time. May I ask you inside?" I said politely offering her my hand.

Keel-Raniur smiled slightly embarrassed, then took it and followed me inside. Closing the door behind her, I turned around and watched as she gracefully walked around the shop, examining the displays and goods in awe. Over time, I was able to... acquire a whole lot of different goods and artefacts, and most of them were of no use for me anymore. In the many display cases which were scattered around the room, were antique weapons from the past of all parts of Tamriel, fine ebony, glass and dwemer weapons and armour, ancient ceremonial equipment and old magical artefacts. Yeah, my collection is anything but small, but that didn't change anything about the fact that everything displayed here was of no use of me. The collection with the really important and really valuable goods was displayed upstairs in the living room, the bedroom and the small dojo for those were the things I wouldn't separate from.

"Your collection is really very impressive." "Not as impressive as you are." I responded as I kept on examining and awing her grace- and beautiful body. Keel-Raniur blushed to a deep shade of red and smiled. "Your words flatter me, kind Sek-Raktaa." I smiled at her reaction and bowed slightly, then gestured towards a door in the opposite wall. "If I may ask you to follow me. We can continue our talk in a more comfortable atmosphere." "Sure." She agreed, smiling. I lead her through the door and down a small corridor. Then lead her up the stairs and through the first door to our left into the dinning room and kitchen where a large meal was already waiting for us.

"May I offer you a seat?" I asked turning around to face Keel-Raniur and gesturing towards the chair next to me. Keel-Raniur gasped by the sight of the well prepared meal and for a very short moment I thought to see a huge hunger in her eyes and a small stream of droll escaping her well shaped muzzle. "That... I didn't expected you to cook for me, Sek-Raktaa." "Well, usually I don't cook for my visitors. But someone special deserves something special, don't you agree?" I responded smiling. Keel-Raniur simply nodded, obviously lost by the powers to speak.

After a few seconds however, Keel-Raniur seemed to regain her composure and, with a large smile on her beautiful face, accepted the hand I offered her. I lead her over to the table and seated her on a well-manufactured, comfortable looking wooden chair, then took my own seat on her opposite. Usually I just cook and eat what I feel like to eat at the moment, but as I mentioned earlier, someone special deserves something special. Today I cooked like there was no tomorrow, and the result was more than just tasty looking and smelling.

For on the table in front of us was a meal worthy of a king. Grilled hound meat with salt rice, roasted meatbug meat (I know it sounds disgusting, but rightfully cooked, meatbugs are delicious, trust me in that) and a sauce made out of gold kanet flower and stone flower extract, as well as whole pitcher of marshmerrow tea. The dinner went on just as I had hopped to be. Keel-Raniur visibly enjoyed the meal I cooked mainly for her, and even the fact that the "little roasty pieces of meat" was actually the meat of a hand sized bug didn't really seem to bother her. All she did was raising her eye ridge, then continued to eat.

During our meal, we both talked about each other, and I learnt quite a lot about her. Keel-Raniur told me from her days on the farm of her parents and from a few adventures she had, and I in return told her from my childhood in my home village in black marsh and from a few adventures I had during travelling through Tamriel. In the end the dinner resulted in just attracting me more to her, both physically and mentally. Keel-Raniur really is the most beautiful argonian I ever laid eyes upon, at least from my opinion, and to accompany that, we did had a lot in common. Our views on life, ways to live, sense of art and so on.

The evening wore on and we continued on talking with each other. We laughed, we danced and simply enjoyed each others presence. Kee-Raniur told me of many of her smaller adventures when she was young, and I later entertained her by playing songs on a music instrument very common across Tamriel, especialy among the children: a flute. She loved the soft melody I played for her and kept on listening the whole time. Each time I breathed into the small wooden instrument, the soft, high tone that emitted from it seemed to drift Keel-Raniur's mind further off into another world. When at least the song ended, and the melody silenced, I was rewarded by a beautiful smile on Keel-Raniur's face and the sounds of her, humming to the melody I just played. I took her clawed hand into my own, and we both stood there for what seemed to be an eternity, simply holding each others hands and staring into each others eyes.

"Well, it's getting late. I think it's better when I go home now. After all, you probably expect me to be well rested tomorrow when you open your shop, or don't you?" I nodded, smiling, and responded "I'm opening very late in the morning, so you don't have to hurry." "That is very kind of you, thank you Sek-Raktaa." Again I nodded. "Would you allow me the pleasure and walk you home?" I asked her kindly. If it was even possible, Keel-Raniur's face brightened more up as she nodded in agreement. "Of course. It would be a pleasure." "The pleasure is all mine." I said while I rose up from my seat and offered her my hand.

Smiling, she accepted my offer and I slowly lead her downstairs. As we left the house, and Keel-Raniur lead me to her home, I saw that the sun already had sunk deeply. Not long until she would set completely. But for the moment, the two of us were greeted by rays of yellow, orange and reddish rays of light which dived us and the city in a beautiful mixture of colours. We arrived at the house she called home a few minutes later, and Keel-Raniur freed herself from my grip as she slowly walked towards the door. Opening it slightly, she turned around towards me again, and the light of the setting sun showed her face in unmatched beauty. "Thank you for the nice day and evening, Sek-Raktaa." "It was a pleasure and an honour for me." I replied, smiling back at her. This time however, she was the one to take my hand, and for another moment we just stood there, lost in the moment and staring into each others eyes, until we both slightly leaned forward. The space between our muzzles decreased, until the tips of our snouts met, our forked tongues lashed out and we kissed.

The kiss seemed to last for eternity, until we both finally parted. Smiling one last time at me, Keel-Raniur finally turned around and walked into her house, closing the door behind her. I stood there for several more moments, until I too turned around and walked home. Today was really a very good day, and I was eager to find out what would await me tomorrow.

The next day went on rather good. Keel-Raniur arrived early at my shop, much earlier as I would've expected. But then again, it was good that she arrived when she did. In the end, she provided a valuable help for me in setting a few things up and prepare everything for the grand opening.

When we finished, everything seemed to be perfect. The shop was located on the ground floor, in the huge room which was just behind the main entrance. Probably the house was no doubt build to serve as a shop, for in the cellar and the first floor it provided everything necessary to live in here. The shop itself was actually a large room, filled with various display cases containing ancient books, weapons and armour. At the wall opposite to the main door was a large desk which contained another round of valuable artefacts and the door which lead to the hallway behind the desk.

I told Keel-Raniur to wait for me and make a few final preparations while I would go out and clear a few final things. She agreed and went about her business, while I turned around and left. Closing the door behind me, I made my way towards Shenk's Shovel. I probably would been more than enough busy to keep cammona tong's thieves at bay, I didn't need to worry about thieves guild's thieves also.

I arrived at the tavern several minutes later. Today it wasn't any cooler than yesterday. In fact, I even got the feeling that today it was even hotter than yesterday. Usually I get adjusted to very hot temperatures, but the air of Vvardenfell was dry, lacked of any air moisture, and hence I had troubles to adjust myself to these temperatures.

The option of staying a little bit longer and cool a bit off by a good, cool nordic mead was seductive, but I shrugged it off. There were things I had to do and that little pleasure could wait. Looking around carefully, I quickly spotted the local guild master of the thieves guild, the breton called Mike Horrigan, standing in a dark niece on the opposite of the room, near the bar. Walking over to him carefully and avoiding any of the many customers and thieves, I greeted him with a polite smile as I approached. "Hello, Mike."

The breton snapped to attention and looked up to me. "Oh, hey. Hy there, Sek-Raktaa." He greeted me back in a polite tone. "What can I do for you? Looking for a job?" "Not today, Mike." I said shaking my head. "I'm here for another reason." "And what would that be?" The breton asked curious. "Well, it's about that new shop that's opening today." "Yes?" He raised his eyebrow slightly. "I want you to make sure that the thieves guild leaves the shop untouched." The breton seemed puzzled for a moment. "Why do you ask me that?" The breton asked me, confusion in his voice. I grinned from fin to fin. "Because I'm the owner." I answered truthfully. The breton again raised his eyebrow, as he looked at me confused. "That new shop is yours? How'd you manage that?"

"Well, during my last trip I happened to stumble across a full set of adamantium armour including claymore and a pair of ebony daggers. "That would explain it." The breton muttered, more to himself than actually to anyone around. Then he looked up again and met my gaze as he began to speak in a trustworthy tone "Under these special circumstances. Don't worry, the thieves guild's going to leave your shop untouched, but that has of course its price." This time however it was me to raise the eye ridge.

"What kind of prize?" I asked warily. The breton shrugged. "Nothing special. We just want to use your shop to storage some of our stolen goods before we actually sell them on the black market." I nodded in understandment, then sighed. "Well, actually I already expected something of that kind. Okay, I agree." The breton smiled. "Good. Then consider yourself to be save from any attempts of thievery. Don't worry. I'll make sure that every thief of the guild knows about before nightfalls." The breton assured me. "Good to know. Well, I gotta' go. See you then." "Until next time, Sek-Raktaa." I granted the breton one last polite smile, then turned around and left the tavern. One thing settled, one more to go.

I quickly turned around and made my way towards the mages guild as fast as I could. The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I could lean back in my beautiful shop and enjoy a cup of cyrodiilic brandy or some flin. I must admit, that I could also buy some cyrodiilic brandy and flin at the Shenk's Shovel or at one of the smaller taverns, but the prices they demand are just ridiculous. I mean, what kind of an idiot would pay 100 gold pieces just for a pitcher of cyrodiilic brandy/flin? Legal or not, I certainly prefer buying my drinks from the black market. But I'm getting off topic again.

I arrived at the mages guild several minutes later, and quickly vanished in the small door and welcomed the light darkness and the coolness which inhabited the building. The receptionist looked up from his papers, seeming slightly annoyed that I interrupted him in whatever he's currently doing, and regarded me with a cold stare. His voice wasn't that friendly either. "What do you want?" The imperial receptionist asked gruffly.

"Getting a few things that belong to me." I responded in the same your-sheer-presence-annoy-me tone. "Now what is that supposed to mean?" The imperial asked, getting slightly angry. "Go, figure it out yourself." I responded coldly, and started moving. When I was just about to pass him and enter the large room that was located behind a reinforced wooden behind him to his left, he suddenly sprung forward and grabbed me by the armpits. "Who do you think you are?" He snarled seemingly pissed.

"MASTER SAGITA!" He almost barked into the room. Not long after, I could hear the sounds of footsteps emitting from behind the reinforced door I was about to walk through as the imperial stopped in a more than just rude manner. The door suddenly swung open, and through the opening walked a young looking dunmer, wearing an exquisite yellow robe. "What for Mehrunes-Dagon's sake do you want now, Gaius?" The new local guild master of the mages guild, warlock Sagita Trenkan asked the imperial in a more than just close to hostile tone. "I caught this filthy lizard here, trying to sneak into the guild chambers."

I rolled my eyes as I snarled back at the imperial "I didn't sneak, I simply wanted to pass you when you all of a sudden jumped up with that fat, lazy ass of yours and tackled me like some kind of wannabe-hero." If looks could kill, the imperial now would probably look more than a slaughtered nix-hound, considering all the death glares I send towards him. For a moment however, the young female dunmer fell silent and motionless, as she examined me wide-eyed from head to tail-tip like paralysed.

For a brief moment, I broke my I-would-beat-the-crap-out-of-you-if-I-had-the-time gaze and greeted the young warlock with a genuine, polite smile. In sudden moment, the young dunmer snapped out of her short paralysis, turned towards the imperial and screamed loud enough for probably the whole city to hear in a more than just hostile and violent way. "YOU WORTHLESS INCOMPETENT IMPERIAL FOOL!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO THIS IS!?!" The imperial winced at the sudden outburst, somehow imagining that he was in a whole lot of trouble now. But nevertheless, the imperial answered her question by single shrug of his shoulders. "Just a filthy lizard?" He asked her back.

I could clearly see on Sagita Trenkan's face, that she tried her hardest not to rush over to the imperial and slap him across the face, if not worse. "That" she hissed, pointing at me "is Sek-Raktaa. One of the most powerful and highest decorated master wizard's of the mages guild." The look on the imperial's face was priceless. His eyes grew wide with horror, his face paled and he started shaking. "That... that... I..." He stuttered fearfully but was cut short by warlock Sagita Trenkan.

"For this insult I'll have you fired. But not before you've seriously paid for this. Now, LET HIM GO YOU BASTARD!" The imperial immediately lost his grip on my armpit and cowered back, behind his desk where he sat still on his chair and glanced with pure fear at both, me and Sagita. The dunmer gave him one last glare, that I'm sure would scare a lich back into its grave, then turned towards me. "I have to apologize for his behaviour, master wizard Sek-Raktaa. We originally hired him to make sure that our guild members would have more time to study their lessons, but until now he caused us more trouble than good."

I granted her a genuine smile and bowed my head slightly in respect. "Apology accepted. Just make sure that next time you hire some qualified men and keep the trash outside." The dunmer bowed, obviously very ashamed of the incident that just had occurred for she didn't dared to look into my eyes. "What can we do for you?" She asked finally with regained composure. "I'm here to get some of my belongings I storaged here." The warlock nodded. "I understand. If you would follow me, master wizard. It would be an honour if you let me show you the way." I raised my eye ridge slightly.

I must admit that I really have done a lot of things for the mages guild and that I'm actually well known around the guild, but I wouldn't consider myself to be a... famous person or someone to look up to. But in the end those are the results everything leads to, I guess. Focusing my mind back to reality, I followed the young dunmer warlock into the guild chambers of the mages guild. Closing the door behind me, I found myself in a large foyer with a whole lot of mage guild members inhabiting it.

Strong looking reinforced wooden doors attached to all wall in every direction lead further to the staircase, apprentice chambers, various library's and alchemy labs, lecture chambers and so on. The young warlock seemed already to know where I was going, and I kept on following her into the staircase and followed her lead towards the first floor where the chambers of the higher ranking mage guild members where located.

She opened the door leading towards the first floor, and entered the large hallway behind. The young dunmer warlock walked a few steps into the hallway, then stopped and turned towards me. "I hope you find what you're looking for. Now, if you would excuse me, there are a few chores I need to fulfil today. It truly was an honour for me meeting you, master wizard Sek-Raktaa." The young warlock bowed slightly, then walked past me and entered the staircase again. Looking after her for a few more moments, then turned around and walked towards the door which belonged to a small chamber that once was given to me for my personal use. Although it is a rule of the mages guild not to steal from guild members, I knew all to well by my own experiences, that not every guild member, including myself, actually follow that rule. And hence I had a lot of valuable artefacts stashed in that small chamber, I secured it with a special spell of lock so that nobody except for myself may enter it.

Walking towards the worn looking reinforced door, I banished the spell of lock on the door, opened it and walked in. Only then to take a few steps back, supporting myself on the door frame and covering my nose. It stunk. Of course I expected it to be a little... "smelly" in there, but I must admit that I never could've imagined how badly it would be. The whole place was dusty and smelled after rotten wood and used up air.

Well, what shall I do? I planed to open my shop today, and I needed the artefacts I had dropped here off so long ago. Therefore I finally entered the small chamber, almost forcing myself onwards. Inside it smelled even worse, and I hardly tried to fight the urge of retching or throwing up. Better get the stuff out of here before I start to get sicker then I already am. The chamber itself wasn't that great.

Just enough room for a comfortable looking bed, a small alchemy table, a small library containing various books of different kinds and aspects of magic and finally an small ordinary table, chair and a large wooden chest. Walking quickly over to the chest, I opened it and found the artefacts safe and secure where I had left them. And to be honest, it was actually quite a lot for a chest of this size to contain.

A few rare scrolls, some unique, enchanted robes, enchanted weapons and even to leftover wizard staffs, a deadric dagger and three ebony short swords. To much of course for me to carry, but since I knew already what exactly was waiting for me, I already had spoken a spell of mark back in the storage basement of my house, and now only had to cast a spell of recall. Closing first the chest, then the door, I locked the door again this time without sealing the room for there wouldn't be anything worth stealing inside of here once I left, then walked over to the chest and cast the spell of recall, teleportating the chest and myself back towards my home.

After the few still missing pieces of my collection had finally arrived in my home and now were displayed in the shop, the day went on rather good. The grand opening of my shop for antiques was actual quite profitable. The instant Keel-Raniur attached the "Open" shield over the door, a real storm of customers rushed in and looked around, several of them buying some of the things which were of no value for me anymore.

As the sun started to set, and Keel-Raniur removed the "Open" shield from the door frame, and locked the door behind her, I had the pleasure to look into a chest full of gold. Gold earned by honest work that is. I must admit, that I was a thiefmage for all my life, and now after I had earned my gold through honest work for the first time in my life, I couldn't but feeling a little proud of myself. Until this day, I earned my living with either stealing from those who have or by roaming through various caves, ruins, ancient temples and stuff like that. I have to say, earning gold that way is much safer, but to be honest, also kind of boring. I certainly wouldn't survive very long without something I could steal or someplace to sneak in. But I didn't need to survive like that for very long. I was just a matter of days, until I finally would have some fun at night again. Suddenly my mind was forced back to reality by the sounds of hard knocks against the door.

I glanced at Keel-Raniur, who looked at me with a puzzled expression. "Who could that be? Haven't they noticed that we've closed?" I shrugged and responded dryly "They noticed. But I think that this is something special." Keel-Raniur frowned, looking at me with a dark glare. "It has something to do about your real job, right?" Shrugging, I turned and walked towards the door. "Possible."

Putting the key into the keyhole and opening the door, I quickly opened the door to find myself face to face with another argonian I knew far to well. "Skink-in-Tree's-Shade." I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" The argonian master wizard, dressed in a bright blue robe decorated with daedric runes, smiled as he walked inside my home. "Well, does it sound so strange if an old friend has the urge to pay a little visit." That remark made my mind snap and I stared at him suspiciously. "Since when do you have get urges to visit old friends?" I asked him warily.

Skink-in-Tree's-Shade's expression turned from happy into a hurt expression. "What? Don't you trust me?" "Not in this matter." I responded coldly. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade kept on looking hurt at me for several more moments, then suddenly burst into laugher. "I see you didn't change." He managed to bring out between laughs. "Oh no, I didn't." I responded dead serious, although I had a large grin on my face.

"And who is she?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked waving towards Keel-Raniur. "Is she your girlfriend?" We both blushed in a deep red, while I quickly shook my head. "No, no she isn't. I met her just a few days ago and she helps me out here in my shop." I quickly explained Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, who simply nodded. "I see. So she is your girlfriend." Again both of us turned a deep red. Keel-Raniur, quite embarrassed by Skink-in-Tree's-Shade remark, kept on looking down to the floor, while I on the other thought about a response, but decided against it. Instead I decided to quickly change the topic.

"Keel-Raniur, met my good friend of the mages guild, master wizard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade." Keel-Raniur quickly looked up again and bowed her head in a polite greeting. "A pleasure and honour meeting you, marsh brother." She said, looking quite impressed by Skink-in-Tree's-Shade appearance and rang. "The pleasure is all mine, marsh sister." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade remarked with the same polite tone of voice.

"I met Skink-in-Tree's-Shade a few years ago, shortly after I arrived here on Vvardenfell. He was the one who mainly introduced me to the country's traditions, laws and habits." Keel-Raniur listened carefully and nodded at Skink-in-Tree's-Shade in approval. "I must say, that I'm impressed. In this country, it's not very easy for an argonian to find approval and acceptance." She said, trying to sound neutral but I could clearly hear the bitterness out of her voice. "That's true." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade responded, sounding slightly sad. He quickly shook his head to bring his mind back to reality, and turned towards me.

"Does she know?" He asked me, and I nodded. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade glance once more towards the beautiful argonian female to his side, then turned finally back to me. "You were right about my reasons for a visit, Sek-Raktaa. I am really in need of some help, or better, of your special services." He said, his voice now free of everything except his seriousness. "I expected that." I remarked walking over to the desk.

Opening a small drawer, I quickly pulled out a small bottle of cyrodiilic flin as well as three cups. "May I offer you a drink?" I asked without turning around and opening the bottle. "Sure, as long as it is something else than that dunmer junk." I heard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade answer from behind my back, shortly followed by Keel-Raniur's own agreement. I poured the clear liquid in the three cups, and handed first Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, then Keel-Raniur a cup filled with flin, until I took my own cup into my hand and nipped at it.

"So, what can I do for you, marsh brother?" I asked Skink-in-Tree's-Shade who took a deep gulp of flin until he answered my question. "A few days ago, I heard of a powerful magical artefact which is currently located here in Caldera. To say it out loud, I want that artefact. The problem is although I have an idea where the artefact could be located, I don't know who the owner currently is. And even if, I hardly doubt that he would sell the artefact to me." Nodding, I took sip of my flin. "And there you thought, why not asking my good friend Sek-Raktaa, if he's willing to help me out."

"Yeah, that's how you could put it." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade responded, turning to admire a few of the display cases. "So, will you help me, Sek-Raktaa?" He asked me from behind his back. "Of course." I answered calmly. "But my services are not for free." I added in the same calm tone, sipping at my flin. "Sigh. I knew you would say that. How much?" "Depends on what I will have to deal with." "Alright." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade turned back to me and walked towards the desk, putting the cup with the flin on the table and pulling a piece of rolled paper out from under his robe.

"The artefact I want to acquire is a special magical stone called "The Claw of the Dragon". Very easy to recognise. It's shaped like a claw, holding a yellow- reddish crystal with the figurine of a dragon inside the crystal. From what I got to know, the crystal has some unique abilities, but I'm not exactly sure of what kind they are. Anyway, the Claw of the Dragon is currently kept in a highly secured estate on the outskirts of Caldera. The estate belongs to a dunmer noble, a certain Hico Tremnanos or something of that kind. The estate is very well guarded and it won't be easy to get in." I studied the map of the estate Skink-in-Tree's-Shade had unrolled on the desk, until I broke my gaze from the map and regarded him with a puzzled expression.

"Didn't you just say, you don't know who the artefacts owns right now?" "Indeed, I did." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade nodded. "That Hico Tremnanos also doesn't own the Claw of the Dragon. From what I heard, he only keeps it until the rightful owner comes over to him and get the Claw." Nodding in understandment, I returned my gaze towards the map. "How much time do I have, until that "rightful owner" comes to claim his Claw?"

The master wizard shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I guess at least a few more days. Maybe a week, but not more." Nodding again, I leaned slightly forward. "May I?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade nodded, and I grabbed the map, rolled it up again and let it vanish under my shirt. "Then I'll get that Claw for you tomorrow night. You then can come and get it whenever you want. And since you're a good friend of mine, I also make a special price for you. Two thousand. One thousand now, the other half when you come to get your Claw."

"That truly is cheap." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade commented, thinking. "Alright. We have a deal then." Again his hand vanished under his robe, this time however pulling a heavy looking leather pouch out and handing it to me. "Here, that makes a thousand then. I'll come back when you have the artefact." "Always a pleasure making business with you." I responded, bowing my head slightly. "See you then, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade. And watch after your tail. This city is crawling with thieves." I added, grinning. "Well, you have to know." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade said with a large grin on his face. "See you, Sek-Raktaa." He waved a good bye, then vanished through the door and exited my home.

"I thought you opened this shop to make some honest money?" "I did." I answered stepping over to the desk and sipping again at my halfway filled cup of flin. "But what kind of thiefmage would I be, if I would ignore the option of pleasure by breaking into a well guarded estate. Besides, it's a whole lot of fun to give the enforcers of law and justice a hard time." I added grinning broadly. Keel-Raniur on the other hand looked at me with a rather puzzled expression on her face. "Well, if breakking a few laws and into that estate make you that happy, then why don't you do that tonight? The evening has just begun and I think you have more than enough time to think about a strategy."

"Indeed, I have more than enough time. But as you said, the evening has only just begun, and I have a whole lot of other plans for the evening, and for tonight." I replied grinning. Keel-Raniur's face expression darkened. "What are you up to?" She asked me with a dark glare on her face. Placing the cup back onto the desk, I turned and walked slowly towards her. "You see." I said smiling, as I suddenly grabbed her and forced her body close to mine. "May I ask you for this dance, my lady?" Again Keel-Raniur's expression changed, this time however turned from a dark glare into a broad smile. "Of course, kind Sek-Raktaa."

The rest of the evening certainly were certainly one of the best hours I had in my very long life. Keel-Raniur and I danced through the shop, my office, the whole house until our feet ached and we both feel heavy and laughing onto the netch leather couch in front of the fire place, holding each others hands and just gazing into the eyes of the other. There were no words, that could describe the passion and the feelings of that moment, as I just stared into that beautiful eyes of Keel-Raniur. I didn't really noticed as the space between us shrunk from second to second, until our muzzles finally touched and we both exchanged a deep passionate kiss. After an eternity, we broke the kiss, rose up to our feet and left slowly the living room and moved towards the bedroom. Closing the door behind, we slowly started to undress each other until we both dropped naked onto the bed, and I realised, that today would be a long night.

Of course I could tell you more about what exactly happened that night, but a gentlelizard like me enjoys and stays silent.

I woke up by the smell of roasting bacon and looking around the room, I found my bed empty and the sun shining broadly into the room. It seemed to be relative early in the morning, so it was rather cool, but I knew all to well that this would change in a few hours. Standing up slowly from the bed, I walked over to the window and closed it to keep as much of the heat outside as possible. The moment the window was closed and a slight darkness inhabited the room again, my stomach started to growl, probably loud enough for everybody in the whole city to hear. I didn't even bother to dress up, but instead walked directly towards the source of that tasty smell. Leaving the bedroom and entering the kitchen, I quickly spotted the source of that smell.

Keel-Raniur already had prepared breakfast for both of us, and a tasty looking one at that. I spotted some marshmerrow tea, baked bacon and a leaf of bread, netch butter and berry jam. And right now, Keel-Raniur was seriously fighting in order to make a few cliffracer eggs. Walking over to her, I could clearly hear her muttering several curses from under her breath. And she took no notice from my presence. Then I touched her shoulder suddenly.

Keel-Raniur shuddered and gasped, then whirled around to find me right behind her. If her reaction didn't show her surprise already, the look on her face sure did. I couldn't control myself as I burst out into laugher, while Keel-Raniur stumbled back and supported herself on the wall, trying to catch her breath.

"Don't. You. Ever. Do. This. Again. You. Hear." She managed to say out from within gasps, while I simply continued laughing. "HEY! That's not funny! You almost gave me a heart attack!" She yelled at me angrily. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I said to her as calmly as I could, gesturing with my hands. After a few more minutes, I gazed towards the great breakfast Keel-Raniur had cooked. "I didn't expected you to make breakfast. Especially such a tasty one." I said to her, quite impressed actual.

Keel-Raniur on the other hand took my words as a great compliment, as she smiled and responded "As you said: Someone special deserves something special." Grinning broadly, I walked up to her. "Yeah, I said that. Would you accept my offer for a helping hand?" I asked her, for I had clearly noticed the problems she had with the cliffracer eggs. She sighed out loud and looked at me very tiredly, as she answered me. "Yes. Please." Chuckling at her childish voice and look on her face, I walked over to the fireplace and cooked the eggs for her. The look of awe that crept on her face, as I cooked the eggs without any greater problems, didn't stay unnoticed from me.

In the end, the eggs also were finished and both Keel-Raniur and myself enjoyed our first common breakfast. During eating, we both again lost ourselves in a nice discussion, focusing mainly about if I would mind if Keel-Raniur would live with me in this house, and if she would accept my offer if I asked her to live with me. The result was rather promising. As long as I wouldn't mind to sacrifice a few space in the storage basement and elsewhere to her, things looked rather good that she would come to me.

But first, of course, we would have to carry all her stuff here and then sell the house to somebody who might be interested for a rather long stay in Caldera. But those were things we could worry about for another time. We both finished breakfast and I helped her to clean all the dishes, then we both dressed up again and prepared anything to open the shop again for the day. I was just about to open the door and place the "Open" sign over the door frame, as I heard someone knock against the door.

I didn't expect Skink-in-Tree's-Shade to show up here again, after all I told him that I would gather the artefact he's looking for this night, and not the past night. Or went something wrong and he now comes over to report it to me? Well, by just thinking about it, I wouldn't get any answers, so I walked towards the door with a puzzled expression on my face, and opened the door.

Much to my surprise however, I didn't found Skink-in-Tree's-Shade at my door, but instead a black haired breton with a red robe. "Mike? What are you doing here?" I asked the local thieves guild's guild master. "You remember what we agreed in order to make sure the thieves guild doesn't bother you?" Sighing, I nodded. I think I know where this is going. "Yes I do." "Good. 'Cause we need your services right now. Would be so kind to keep an eye over this sack?" The breton asked me, pointing towards a very full looking sack at his side. Sighing again, I nodded. "Okay, but don't you think that you could dump everything here. I may have a better storage basement as Shenk's Shovel, but most of that storage will be used by me." Waving his hand in defiance, the breton retreated a step.

"Okay, okay. No need to get your scales on a twist. But if it calms you, you get that thing out of your sight within a day or two. A guy named Wesk will come over to get the stuff. He..." "I know him." I interrupted the breton. "Met him once as I worked in Balmora." The breton nodded, then turned around. "Well then, goodbye." After I watched the breton vanish in the crowd of the streets again, my eyes returned to the sack. Taking in a deep breath, I took a hold of it and somehow yanked it over my shoulder and dragged it inside.

The sack was very heavy, and I could clearly hear multiple items pushing themselves around in the sack. Although I was a little curious at first, I quickly shrugged it off. Whatever was inside was not of my interest right now. Come to think that I would actually say it once in my life, but I have a store and business to run.

Dragging the sack with me, I threw it carelessly into an empty spot in the storage basement, hearing it crashing as it impacted on the hard stone floor, then turned around and returned to the store, where I finally placed the "Open" shield over the door frame.

Like yesterday, there where a whole lot of people who found themselves lost into my shop, but only a few of them actually bought something for most of them either just couldn't afford the items I offered, didn't had any interest or just wanted to have a look on the items I'm selling. But nevertheless, the day ended rather profitable. I managed to sell a few dwemer items to nobles of different races, a complete set of dwemer armour among them, as well as a few ancient iron and steal weapons and armour pieces of more historical valuable, which were obtained by a pair of dunmer nobles who either owed the local museum or just had a great interest in history. In either way, I ended up with 51.235 gold pieces richer and a few more old dust collectors gone from my responsibility.

A very good day indeed. Although I would've preferred to stay at home and enjoy the rest of the evening with lovely Keel-Raniur at my side, I still had a small business left. Breaking into a probably highly guarded estate. Is there anything more thrilling and amusing than breaking into such an estate and fool the guards? Well, I certainly can't think of anything comparable. But maybe I should stop talking nonsense and go straight to business right?

Slowly what was left of the sun set further and it was only a matter of minutes, about half an hour maybe, until the sun would've completely set and the whole city dived into the darkness of the night. The time of the thieves. It was already dark enough for me to start on my journey, and I already prepared myself with everything I needed. Dressed in my usual black set of light leather, fur and fabric armour, with the daedric katana Bloodred Wind sheathed and strapped over my back, I was already halfway prepared. With my usual gear on plus the fact of having slept a few hours to restore my powers and magicka, I now was more than ready to go. Saying my good-bye's to Keel-Raniur and telling her not to wait for me for it could become very late, I exited through the backdoor, jumped to the roof of my house with the help of a spell of jump and started my journey towards the other end of the city.

It was true that Caldera was not a big city as Balmora or Vivec, but that didn't change anything on the fact that Caldera was one of the largest city's on Vvardenfell, which confirmed itself by the mass of rooftops that where ahead of me. With moves that would make any professional Acrobat jealous, I made my way rather quickly across the rooftops, sometimes casting a spell of jump or levitate if my skills alone wouldn't be enough. After what seemed to be a small eternity, I finally reached my target, panting from exhaustion. During the trip from my home towards the outskirts of the city, I lost my track of time, but the sun already had set and the twin moons slowly started to rise up high into the nightly sky of the city.

My eyes had already adjusted themselves to the new degree of darkness along time ago and what I couldn't make out with my normal senses, I was able to pick up in form of fine silvery outlines which marked and draw every wall, every turn and every line of every house, floor and whatever it was that was in front of me. And far away in the distance, the dark shade of a watchtower towered up high into the sky, connected directly to a dark, border-like line which formed the city wall.

The Tremnano estate was actually not very hard to spot. The map Skink-in-Tree's-Shade had given me was very detailed and I found the estate almost instantly. The Tremnano estate was halfway between me and the large stone wall surrounding the city. Although close to the city wall, this happened to be a more noble part of the time. It maybe wasn't that noble as the north quarter where the Governor's Castle was located, but still noble enough for a whole lot of rich merchants and lower nobles to call it home.

The streets where clean, and estate bordered to estate. Although I had problems seeing them, it was not very hard for me to spot here and there a moving shadow or a dark figure which darted from shadow to shadow. Although not that noble like the north quarter, the east quarter still was a part of time which was very attractive to many thieves. For a moment, I seriously considered joining them in their wild dance of shadows, always searching for something worth stealing for or to break in.

But that was something I could do another time. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade paid me to steal a certain item for him from a certain place, and I just couldn't get rid of the feeling that the Tremnano estate would provide a whole lot more for me than just the Claw of the Dragon. Although the yards outside the estates of the east quarter weren't that big and impressive as the yards of the north quarter, the yards surrounding the estates still were big enough for me to force me to the solid ground. But that shouldn't be a big problem. The estates were surrounded by medium high fences or stone walls, providing enough shadow for a skilled thiefmage like me to become almost invisible as long as I stay in these shadows.

The Tremnano estate itself looked actually like any other estate in this part of town. A noble looking manor of imperial style surrounded by a small yard and a medium sized stone wall to keep unwelcome trespassers like me outside. Although I was still a great distance away, I still was able to spot a few moving shadows within the yard. The shadows moved to slow for thieves, and I assumed that they were probably guards.

It also looks like that there was a whole lot of smaller tree's and higher bushes within the yard. If I make my moves carefully, I might use the shadows and the dark corners of the woodland to cover my approach and get in without anyone noticing me. Easier said than done. But I would be a very lousy thiefmage if I wouldn't at least try it. Besides, if things go bad, I still have the chance to cast a spell of chameleon or invisibility to hid myself from spying eyes. Sigh, there is nothing more thrilling than break into a well guarded estate and steal as much loot as you can carry without anyone noticing you, don't you agree?

Tightening the muscles in my legs, I crouched down, then leaped up into the skies with the grace and elegance of a ninja. Almost gliding silently through the air, I suddenly somersaulted and landed on the stone floor with as soft as a feather accompanied by a low clicking sound as my toe-claws hit the ground.

Much to us thieves fortune, the City Watch didn't patrol the streets of the east quarter as much as they do in the west or south quarter for the City Watch's Captain is of the opinion that the estates had more than enough private guards to keep us thieves out of their masters homes. And besides, the only way of breaking into one of these estates is by passing all the guards in the yard outside the estate. If thieves climb across all these fences and stone walls, why bother to guard empty streets? But nevertheless, there are still a few City Watch guards patrolling on the streets, even if not so many, and I couldn't allow myself to get careless.

I made my way towards the outskirts of Tremnano estate rather quickly however, without running into the City Watch, although I spotted the dim light of a torch moving down the street two times and also hearing the echoing of footsteps. But nevertheless did I arrive at the outskirts of Tremnanor estate, hiding myself in the shadows and pressing myself against the stone wall surrounding the estate.

After I was sure no one was around, I quickly moved away from the wall, turned around and jumped upwards, grabbing a somewhat secure hold onto the walls edge and pulling myself up. Much to my misfortune, the night was quite clear and what little light shone down from the stars and pair of moons kept on lighting up the night. It was dark, no question, but not dark enough to provide me any great cover if I make the mistake on sitting up while I'm still on top of the wall. If I did so, I might be not quite visibly, but I would be visibly enough for any guard that was in closer surroundings to eventually spot an unnatural shadow, me, on top of the stone wall. And I certainly could live without that risk.

Instead of sitting up, I flattened myself on the wall as much as possible and swung my legs and lower body across the wall as fast as possible, then let go of the wall and landed silently on the soft grass of the estate. For a brief moment I was about to pull a pair of night vision and infrared goggles out of a small bag in my armour, but quickly remembered on which world I was and quickly dismissed the thought. Who could have imagined that the methods and gadgets of thieves and thiefmages are that different from world to world? Maybe Only-he-stands-there is right after all and I should stay on Nirn for a couple of decades. I only hoped that this would do me some good. After a while, travelling from world to world, each in a different state of evolution, sure can become confusing over time. But I'm getting off topic again.

Looking around carefully, I found myself to be completely alone, with no guard very close nearby, sitting in the shadows of the stone wall itself and a couple of trees. And from what I could see, the manor wasn't that far away from me either. Glancing around carefully, I quickly darted forward, moving ducked and staying in the shadows, only to reach the wall of the manor a few moments later.

I spotted a couple of locked windows nearby, all of them dark so the room behind was empty. It wouldn't be much of a problem, to pick the lock of one of these windows and enter the manor through it. I quickly dismissed that idea however as I spotted another possible entrance for me, in form of a smaller opening down at my feet which would undoubtedly lead towards the basement. I was a Thiefmage for all my life, and I knew from experiences that valuable stuff like the Claw of the Dragon is either held in a sealed room in the basement or located in a sealed room on the topside of the manor.

The small opening however was blocked by a small lattice, which was luckily not locked and actually was very easy to remove. After that was done, I got down and forced myself through the small opening. It was good that I also happened to be an more than just experienced Acrobat, for I was sure that any other Thief probably would be stuck in there. I finally managed to get through the whole opening, and while I positioned the lattice back into place and shrugged some dust and dirt off my clothing, I made a mental note to find another exit. Especially once I have the Claw of the Dragon and a whole lot of loot into my possession.

But it seemed that this would be anything but easy. Although my senses were close to perfectly adjusted to the darkness which inhabited the basement, I spoke a quick spell of night-eye to aid me for a matter of seconds, for silvery outlines, although useful for navigation, are not quite made to discover valuable items or possible storage places for an artefact like the Claw of the Dragon. Much to my disappointment I found nothing. Well, that's not exactly true for I spotted a few leather pouches filled with gold and jewels, which I let quickly vanish inside of a larger pouch I carried with me. But however, I didn't found what I was looking for. Figures, the Claw of the Dragon was on the highest floor of the building. Oh goody. Now I not only have to find another way out of here, I also have to sneak past everyone inside the manor. The life of a master Thiefmage. Just great, isn't it?

But maybe I should cut this nonsense and concentrate myself back onto my primary task. There were a few more valuable looking items in the room, but although the seduction is great, I couldn't take everything with me. And I certainly would find more items on the higher floors which would be of a higher value than the few things stashed here. Spotting a common wooden door nearby, I quickly made my way towards and found the door to be locked. Not a real surprise, and certainly not a big deal either.

Examining the lock more closely for any weaknesses, I soon after pulled out my precious pair of lockpicks and started to fondle the lock. The lock actually looked very old and rusty, and hence it wasn't a great deal to pick it open, which I did after less than a minute. Putting the lockpicks back into their pocket, I careful leaned against the door and listened. Nothing. Opening the door slightly to peek into the room behind, I found it to be empty.

Well, it looks like a good start to me, but I better don't get to self confident. After all I planned to steal the Claw of the Dragon without anyone noticing my presence at all. I can't shake the feeling that this is easier said than done. But then again, no risk no fun right? I quietly entered the small room, light by only one torch and examined my surroundings further.

There was only one door right in front of me which would probably lead towards the staircase or to some corridor leading towards it. Walking over to it, I progressed similar to the door before and entered a low lighted corridor which lead to a row of stairs leading upwards to the ground floor. Darting from shadow to shadow, I made my way quickly over to the door that lead out of the staircase and was about to open it, as my sensitive ears picked up the sounds of heavy and loud footsteps moving into my direction.

Instinctively I retreated back into the shadows and pressed myself into a dark corner in which I could get a good view of the door. I also could cast a spell of invisibility on myself, but then again I already was as good as invisible as long as I stayed where I was. Besides, casting spells would cost me energy and I didn't want to waste any for as long as it is not directly necessary. And not much later the door opened and a guard entered the staircase.

The guard was a very tired looking dunmer wearing a mixed set of bonemold and nordic ringmail armour. He didn't even bother to check out the basement, but instead yawned and continued his journey upstairs were I guessed the guards quarters, or at least one of them, to be. While the tired guard walked up the stairs, I quickly left my little hideout and bolted towards the door, leaving the staircase behind.

Only to find myself in yet another low lighted corridor. This time however I spotted a couple of doors on the sides of the corridors, and I could clearly see that the corridor continued itself a long distance and lead into the foyer. Or at least I guessed that. Anyway, the guard I met in the staircase seemed to be the only guard in this part of the floor for I didn't spot a single guard walking up and down the corridor. I just saw a movement in the foyer. Wouldn't be surprised if it was well guarded. I just hope that nobody decides to check in here while I continue my little raid. In any way I had to assume that the guard I saw earlier would be replaced by another one who takes his turn of watch and starts patrolling through the manor.

Deciding that it didn't matter anyway for the map of the manor was anything but detailed, I walked over to the next door and tried to open it. Only to find it locked. Well, a locked door usually meant no guard inside. Usually. Let's just hope that its no exception in this case. With the help of my precious lock picks, the door didn't made any big trouble at all and I had no problem in picking the lock.

Opening the door, I found a dark room behind but soon recognised it to be some kind of office. Probably from Mr. Tremnano himself or at least from someone in a higher position. Entering the office quickly, I shut the door behind me and examined the room closer. Nothing really valuable in here actually. Wait a second. There's a picture on the wall. Looks like the picture of an ancient dunmer warlord or something. Maybe I should risk a closer look. Yes! Looks like I'm lucky this day. If the sign in the left lower corner of the picture is correct, then this picture was made by an famous and long dead dunmer artist. Or one of the best forgeries I ever laid eyes upon. In any way, the picture was sure worth a lot. Would be a crime to left it behind.

Using a daedric dagger I also had with on my little raids, I did short work on the picture frame, rolled it up and carefully let it vanish in the small bag. But now it's time to go back to work. There was another door nearby and I was rather curios what exactly was behind it. Picking the lock rather quickly, I leaned against the door to hear who was in the room behind. I could hear a silent humming, either by a servant or a guard. Or more guards. Better be careful.

Opening the door just a small split, barely able to peek through, I had the luck to find that the room was better lighted than the corridor, but it was rather dark here at the door. If I am fast enough, nobody will notice me. I hope. Careful I opened the door, then dashed through the new opening leaving the darkness from the first room to enter the darkness of this room, pressed myself against the wall and closed the door again to find myself in a rather large library. From my point of view, the room was well light in places were the guards patrolled, and the rest of the room was either low lighted or dark.

I also could see a dunmer servant, busy cleaning the room here and there and another dunmer guard in a full set of netch leather armour. The only problem was that a bunch of bookshelves hindered my overview of the room, so it could be possible that there was another guard or servant in the room, with the difference that he was doing something more quiet like reading or sleeping or something of that kind. Better stay on guard, just in case. If I'm lucky though, I might stumble across a rare book or something other valuable. Many nobles are known to possess the one or the other valuable book.

Sneaking carefully towards the next bookshelf, I made sure to stay in the shadows the whole time. Well, doesn't look there is anything valuable in here. Better try the next. Nothing. The guard suddenly started moving towards my position. The sounds of netch leather hitting wooden ground closed up, as I quickly turned and darted into the relative safety of the nearest shadow. And just a few moments later, the guard rounded a corner and came into plain view. Actually I wasn't surprised to find him in exact the same bored and tired mood as the guard I met earlier, so I could comfortable lean back as he passed me without taking any notice at all. Why even bother and staying alert? After all there was nothing here. Nothing but the darkness and the shadows. And the creatures the darkness had created. Creatures like me.

The guard again passed around a corner and vanished from my sight. Deciding that there was nothing worth stealing on my side of the room anyway, I quickly followed him by darting form shadow to shadow. The midsection of the room didn't look that different either. Every wall, as long as there is no window in the wall, was covered by a bookshelf plus two arrays of bookshelves running straight through the room, parting it into three pieces.

The midsection basically was just a narrow path with two wooden tables and chairs in their midst and a couple of the large bookshelves on either side of it. The dunmer servant I had noticed earlier was currently busy cleaning the bookshelves here and there, and another dunmer guard dressed in a full set of chitin armour save the helm sat in one of the chairs, leaning against the bookshelf behind him and staring down onto a book in front of him. But that did little to cover the silent sounds of snores my sensitive ears picked up.

Over viewing the small area, I was just about to turn around and leave it as it was, as suddenly something caught my attention. It was the cover of a medium sized book which was placed on the table the chitin dunmer was "seated" at. I couldn't help it, but from somewhere the cover looks familiar to me. If I could just remember from where. Well, one way to find out. Moving carefully over to the table, I soon was able to read the letters on the book. Vampires of Vvardenfell volume II. A really rare and precious book. And certainly worth stealing it.

Risking a glance above my shoulder to check if the other guard was behind me and keeping an close eye on both the more than alert guard in the chair nearby and the cleaning servant, I reached forward, grabbed the book with my claws and retreated back into the darkness once again. Slowly moving further into the darkness, I left the midsection of the library until I reached the hard wood of the bookshelf at the wall, stuffed the book into the small backpack and looked around for another exit.

Indeed I didn't need to search long as I soon spotted three doors in total, including the one from which I entered the library. The first one was actually on the opposite of the room and if I didn't lost orientation the door would lead to the large hallway which I had entered as I had left the staircase, leaving only one door left. Meant door happened to be in a dark corner like the one from which I entered.

I arrived only a short time later at the door, and upon pressing myself against it, I was greeted by the sounds of footsteps emitting from the room behind the door. I guessed the next room to be the large foyer at the main entrance of the manor, for from what I could hear the guards inside moved on a larger area, which usually is common for a foyer. But as I always say, thinking is good, knowing is better.

The lock on the door was actually not that hard to pick, and soon after I peeked through a small opening into the foyer. The door which connected the library and the foyer happened to be in one of the darker places, but behind the door inhabited a far brighter ray of darkness than in here. I better make sure that the other dunmer patrolling this room passes me first before I walk through that door. After all it looks rather suspiciously if the darkness suddenly becomes interrupted by a small array of semi light.

Luckily I didn't need to wait very long as the netch leather dunmer passed me once again, looking even more tired and bored now, and I was free to go. Pressing myself further against the wall to avoid detection, I slowly and silently closed the door to the library behind me and looked around the room. The foyer actually was less more than a larger, triangular shaped room with a supporting beam here and there disguised as column to look more... impressive. A large, expensive looking carpet lay on the floor and the wooden ceiling was a little more coloured compared to the other rooms, but that was it. The ceiling's height actually didn't even was much different from the room's height of the library, the small office and the hallway which connected the foyer with the staircase.

A more simple manor, disguised as far as possible to be a real exquisite manor. The perfect home for a rich merchant or a lower noble. After all nobles are known to show off with their wealth aren't they? And you can believe me, the lower nobles, whose are always in competition with the higher nobles, sometimes even are far more worse than much higher noble. The difficult and complex life of a noble that is. Well, who looks it...

The foyer currently was guarded by a pair of dunmer, each wearing a full set of bonemold armour save the helm, and I had to expect that there was one more guard patrolling through the corridor. Figures, I would have to move when the guard in the corridor and the guards in the foyer have their backs towards me. Easier said than done. Although the dim light would be enough to hid me, the guard in the corridor would get more than just suspicious if a shadow of lizard-like shape suddenly hushed from one dark corner of the foyer to the other. And I also would have to move fast in case one of the other guards suddenly turns around.

But nevertheless, I would have to take a short glance around the corner to make myself an overview of the situation. Perfect. The guard seemed to have reached the foyer just a minute or so earlier and was already halfway down the corridor with his back to me. The other pair of guard wouldn't provide much of a problem either. The first one sat in worn looking wooden chair, supporting himself at the wall while keeping his eyes on the main entrance. His eyes were glassy and it was obvious that he was more than just drunk. And the other guard patrolled through the room, always staying in the light and never checking the shadows, with the same bored and tired looking expression on his face that seemed to be common in this manor.

Using the security and cover of the existing shadows, I quickly dashed across the room and soon found myself pressed against the other wall of the foyer, keeping a close look on the patrolling guard, but he seemed to haven't noticed anything. So the better for me. Similar to the wall I leaned against earlier, this wall also had a wooden door which would lead into another room of the house. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade's map maybe was anything but very detailed and useful to me, but if it was correct I would find the dinning room and kitchen behind this door. And probably a little piece of decoration worth stealing.

Let's just hope that the rooms really are empty, but I just couldn't get rid myself of the thought that the kitchen was still in use. Every manor I had paid a little... "visit" had its kitchen ready with at least one servant each hour at night and day. And after opening the door a little and only slightly peeking through it, I already found my thoughts confirmed as I spotted a furniture typically for any kitchen, as well as the smell of cooked meals.

A servant however I could not see. Well, this is how it looks, I either can risk entering the kitchen and eventually take the servant inside out before he can ring alarm, or I can sneak through the corridor and enter the dinning room behind the kitchen. But then again, maybe there is something valuable in there, and the servant was either asleep or as good as asleep from sheer boredom. Okay, it's settled then. I'm gonna take the risk.

Glancing backwards to check the guards had still their back turned to me, I opened the door and entered the kitchen behind as fast, and more important, as silent as I could. And indeed I found a servant, yet another dunmer, sitting a large wooden table in the centre of the room staring at a deck of cards he played with himself. And from his expression I guessed him to be as good as asleep. So the better for me.

After silently closing the door again and retreating back into the shadows to stay unseen, I examined the room shortly, and much to my pleasure found a couple of limeware goblets on a closet nearby. The dunmer had his back towards me, and I harshly doubted that he paid much attention on moving shadows in his surroundings. As long as I stay careful that is. In any way I had the chance to get my hands on a few valuable limeware goblets which surely would earn me a whole lot of money. Not much later and I passed the dunmer, sneaked over to the closet and let the limeware goblets vanish inside my backpack. I also spotted a limeware plate, but I couldn't afford to carry loot of these size with me so I had no other option than to leave it behind. A shame.

The dunmer however was more busy with himself by trying to stay awake and didn't notice me at all. And neither did he notice me as I hushed through the shadows and entered the empty dinning room behind the kitchen. As I expected, there was noting of higher value in here, so I guess I kinda run straight into dead end. Well, maybe that's the signal for me to look around the first floor. Of course I could keep on stalking through the shadows and stealing here and there the one or the other item, but my primary target was located in higher places. Besides, if I was to get the Claw of the Dragon, it would be better if my backpack wasn't that full so I could still put it in there and more important, move better around with a not so full backpack. I was a thiefmage after all, and not a mule.

Returning to the hallway once again, I made short work on entering the staircase while the guard's back was turned to me and moved up to the first floor. The manor had three floors in total, including the ground floor, and I guessed that the Claw of the Dragon was either held on the first floor or what was more likely possible, on second floor. Carefully opening the door, I sneaked into the corridor of the second and looked around. Not much different to the ground floor, except that there is a large double door where the entrance to the foyer was on the ground floor.

But I would check out the other doors anyway so it didn't make much of a difference with which door I begin. Therefore I picked logically the door next to me which was on the right of the corridor. Leaning against the closed door, I was able thanks to my sensitive ears to make out the soft sounds of snoring coming from behind the room. Either it was a guest room, or what also was possible, a the guard quarters or the servant's quarters. Or more likely both in one. Guards are known to stash their loot in chests which only possess a low quality lock which is easy to pick or even to leave it on their bed. Easy earned gold.

Carefully peeking into the room, I was regarded by nothing but darkness and more louder snores. Perfect. Entering the room and looking around, I quickly got my claws on a few leather pouches filled with gold, although they were rather small. Stupid guards. Anyone with a small sense of business would realise, that it is far more profitable with the same risk to steal from those who have instead of trying to protect the have-all's property. The few coins a guard earns for that job is close to nothing, just enough not to starve to death.

The quarter didn't have a door which lead into the next room, therefore I did the only thing that was left. I left the room and returned to the hallway outside, closing the door behind me. And nearly bumped into a dunmer dressed in a full set of bear armour (A/N: I'm talking about the improved version which was made by Jeremy in his last armour mod, domina part five. Looks far more better than the bear armour made by Bethesda.). The dunmer didn't held a torch in his hand and the hallway was dark enough for me not to be seen. But the dunmer also only was a couple of steps away from me, and if he got any closer he would notice me for sure. Focusing magical energy in my legs, I tightened the muscles in my legs and leaped upwards. Lashing out with both my arms and legs, I grabbed some hold at the walls and pressed myself against the ceiling as much as possible. And now the only thing I could do was to pray.

The guard suddenly stopped, stared a few moments into the darkness underneath me and then rubbed his eyes. "Most be the coffee. Makes me jumpy..." He muttered from under his breath, then moved on. Although I felt relieved that he didn't had noticed me, it was not yet the time to breath out in relief. The best thing I could do right was wait up here and watch him so I get to know his route. After that it would be easy to evade him. I hope. Holding myself up close under the ceiling, I continued to watch him as he walked down the long, narrow corridor for what seemed to be an eternity. Then finally I somewhat got to know his route. And about damn time too for my arms and legs really started to hurt.

I couldn't afford however to make any noises and I also there was also no other option to get out of this mess other than dropping myself to the floor. To tell the truth, I don't like using magic in order to increase my acrobatics, for I it is more usefully in order to hid myself from view or to keep enemy's at bay, but sometimes there was no other choice. Casting silently a spell of slowfall by simple concentrating the magical energy instead of whispering a few words that I was afraid of being capable to betray me, then let go of the walls I hold myself onto and dropped to the ground, landing on the wooden floor without any noise. And then I almost immediately continued by casting a weaker spell of chameleon and then dashed forward into the clutches of the darkest shadow in the corridor.

The guard didn't had noticed me at all, and honestly I was quite happy about that. Nevertheless I shouldn't become careless. The guard already was slightly suspiciously, moving shadows and sudden noises sure would do anything but distracting him. Quite the contrary. I didn't know who exactly is the owner of the Claw of the Dragon, all I know is that this Hico Tremano is responsible for its safety until the true owner arrives, and therefore it might be better if nobody sees me. The last thing I need right now is somebody who tells Hice Tremnano or even his boss how an argonian had stolen his Claw of the Dragon. I don't exactly like threats, or assassins in front of my house.

After I was sure that the guard wouldn't come here fore awhile, I stepped closer to door next to me and picked it open. The room behind it happened to be another office, but unlike the one downstairs, this one looked like it was the office of that Hico Tremnano guy. Exquisite, unnecessary and ugly luxury here and there, probably only to impress everyone who enters the office. If not, then that Tremnano has a really good bad taste. Well, at least there was an exquisite looking eagle figurine made of gold on the desk, which soon made itself comfortable in my backpack. And after I figured out that there was noting more valuable in here, I made my exit through the very same door I entered.

Again I had to wait until the guard passed me and I could continue unnoticed, and quickly found myself again in a impressive looking bathroom. Now that was something special. Not many had an own bathroom in their home, and certainly no normal citizen. Usually the townsfolk used to relax in public baths which were very well cared for to keep them clean and to make whoever pays a little visit to it, from normal citizen to known merchant and/or noble, to feel very comfortable. I've seen public baths on other worlds, in different stages of evolution, and I must say that to this very day I hadn't seen any public baths who are as clean and cared for as the baths here on Nirn. And even better was the fact that there was a very large leather pouch, filled with gold, happened to be on a small table next to the bath, which quickly vanished in my backpack. After I made my exit and entered the dark hallway once again, I waited for the guard to pass and looked around.

Three rooms out of five. The next room looked to be some kind of small casino for there were a few games here and there and a bar at the wall. The huge amounts of different wines and ales also looked kind of valuable, but as I mentioned earlier, I couldn't afford carrying to much loot with me. Instead, I picked a bottle of wine that looked to be the most precious of them all, stuffed it into my backpack and left the room again, taking a few gold coins which were on different tables along with me.

Well, now let's find out what exactly is behind the large double doors. The guard passed me once again and I had no problems in reaching the doors and opening them. To my disappointment, the doors were open and not locked, which meant only one thing: the Claw of the Dragon was not here. Sigh. Well, then there's just the second floor left, isn't it? But let's get back to the more important things right now.

The room was rather large and looked to be some kind of living room, with a couple of comfortable looking couches and chairs, as well as a fireplace another mini bar, bookshelves, plants and stuff like that. There also was another double door, this time made out of glass, which lead to a small balcony. And on that very balcony, another guard was just busy smoking a cigarette. I hope that I will be long gone when he finished his cigarette and returned here. And lucky as I was, I also found another limeware goblet and several jewels stuffed in a small leather pouch on a table in front of the fireplace, which quickly made themselves comfortable inside of my backpack. Well, there wasn't anything else in here which would be of my interest, so I left again and returned to the corridor outside.

Patiently, I waited in the shadows of a dark corner as the guard passed me the last time, then dashed from shadow to shadow until I entered the staircase again and moved up to the second floor, my desired target. Of course there was the possibility that the Claw of the Dragon was being held somewhere on the loft, but I harshly doubted that. Nobles were known to put their most precious things close to them and as far away from the servants as possible. Until an honourable thief, or in my special case thiefmage, appears on the scene to "borrow" the mentioned item for a certain period of time.

Not long after I stood in front of the door to the second floor. It seems that nobody thought it to be necessary to guard the door to the second floor, which I have no real problem with. An advantage for me and an disadvantage for them. Opening the door only a small split just enough for me to peek through, I looked into the corridor behind and didn't really like what I saw. The hallway was well lighted and also guarded by a pair of dunmer, one dressed in a full set of bonemold armour, the other dressed in a mix of netch leather and chitin armour. And I also had to expect that there were more guards in the other rooms, only waiting for me to make a mistake. This would get difficult.

A normal thief would surely have a hard time sneaking past the guards and get the Claw of the Dragon, but as I mentioned before: I'm a thiefmage, not a thief. It was good that I didn't use any greater amounts of magic before, for right now I surely could need it. Focusing magical energy all around me, I cast a strong spell of chameleon on myself which would aid me in my task. The spell would last for a long time, but to keep it constant I still had to focus a huge amount of my magic on it. In other words, if somebody notice me right now and I get into a fight, I really am screwed. Forgive my language but that is how it is.

Slowly and carefully I opened the door, and darted into the next best shadow and closed the door again as silently as possible. The guards however didn't seem to have noticed something at all. In fact, they looked to be more busy in a small conversation of their to take further notice on their surroundings. What they were talking about however seemed to be interesting. "That I get it right, were guarding this damn floor like fortress only because of this statue thing?" "That's how it is. The boss also said that we all won't get any cash for a couple of weeks if something happens to that thing."  
"Why is it so important anyway?" "Trelos asked lord Tremnano the same question just yesterday. And now he can guard the trashcans outside for a couple of nights." "I see. I didn't say anything, yeah?" "Me neither." With that, the conversation seemed to have ended. Both guards turned away and started their long, boring duty of patrolling the corridor. Although the chameleon spell made me as good as invisible, it may be better if I don't get careless and just walk through the corridor like anyone else. If I get to close to the guards, they might be able to see me. And without further thoughts, I pressed myself against the wall and slowly moved towards the door next to me. Opening it only a small split, I knew exactly what was behind. A trophy room.

The rooms walls were marked with the heads of various animals, guars, durzogs, nix-hounds, cliffracers and a whole lot of other animals. I even spotted the heads of a few goblins. Nice. I was just about to turn around and explore a room which hopefully would be more interesting than this one, as suddenly a certain item caught my attention. Staring at it for a few more moments, I indeed found myself face to face with an expensive looking glass longbow. Leaving such an instrument behind truly would be a crime. And as far as I could see, the only dunmer guarding this room was far to busy in polishing his iron longsword, to notice anything at all. The perfect chance.

Sneaking past, always using what little shadow was there to provide cover and always concentrating to keep the chameleon spell up, I moved quickly across the room, past the dunmer and in a flowing motion, the glass longbow changed its place from a display case to a secure hold over my shoulder. The moment the glass longbow came in steady contact with my body, the chameleon spell also started to surround the bow, making it almost as invisible as I was right now. And now that this is taken care of, its time to go, but not before relieving the dunmer from the inhuman heavy weight from that gold pouch of his.

Now, with nothing more of interest, I returned to the hallway once again and entered the next room, silently passing the guards and always focusing on the chameleon spell to keep it up. The room actually looked like the trophy room I left earlier, the only difference however was that in this room a whole lot of different armours were displayed instead of the heads of a few animals. But like the room I had visited earlier, there was nothing in here worth of my interest, so I turned around and left the room again. Hopefully the next one would provide a better selection of valuable loot.

And it seemed that I was lucky indeed. After returning to the hallway and sneaking past the guards again, I found myself in either the room of the guard's captain or a guest room. But I guessed that on this floor were both, a guest room and the room of the guard's captain. In anyway, I quickly found smaller amounts of gold on a wooden table nearby, including a diamond, an emerald an two ruby's. Well, three out and two more to go. After I repeated the procedure after leaving the room as I did all the time in here, I now found myself in what had to be the guard's captain room.

It almost looked like the captain was either a mage or in any case a strong magic user. Alchemy ingredients, pieces of paper and an inkwell, as well as tons of books focusing on various aspects of magic and scrolls. I even spotted a wizard's staff and an exquisite robe in the corner of the room, but I couldn't afford carrying a staff with me and I already had six wizard's staff's at home. Besides the daedric dagger which rested on a smaller table near the bed was more worth than the staff. And the size didn't hinder me also for I could simply put the dagger in my belt while I continued my search for the Claw of the Dragon. Well, now it's time to find out what exactly lies behind the reinforced double doors.

After fooling the guards yet again, I slipped careful and silently through the double doors to find myself in exactly the very same room I had expected: the master bedroom. The room actually was very dark, the only source of light happened to be what little light managed to slip through the closed windows, but my sensitive eyes supported me with all the forms and shapes I needed to find my way through the room. Loud snoring emitted from the exquisite looking bed nearby. The dunmer in it seemed to be deep asleep. Much to my relief for nor I could finally allow myself to stop my concentration and the spell of chameleon.

As the illusional magic slipped of me, I felt like a huge weight has been dropped of my shoulders, but I also knew that I was not done yet. The room actually was from very extravagant and exquisite furniture, and upon closer examination I found myself once more confirmed, that taste really is a matter of aspect, and not of the prize. Nevertheless, there happened to be a rather large amount of different jewels in the room and few gold pieces which I stuffed all in my backpack, and there, on top of a small pillar, was exactly what I was looking for. A large piece of ebony, shaped into a very detailed reptilian claw, holding a red- yellowish crystal with a black slit that made the crystal almost look like an reptilian eye, and upon closer examination I also saw a small figurine that looked like a dragon on the inside of the crystal. So, this is the famous Claw of the Dragon Skink-in-Tree's-Shade want to have so desperately.

Besides a very strong magical aura which surrounded the Claw of the Dragon and the fact that it truly looked impressive and decorative, there was nothing of greater interest around it. Of course it looked to be very valuable, but what was about that artefact, the Skink-in-Tree's-Shade hired me to steal it for him? Well, looks like Skink-in-Tree's-Shade will have to answer a few question when I bring him the Claw of the Dragon.

But for now I still had to get he artefact and find a way out of here. Careful I removed the Claw of the Dragon from the pillar and put in my backpack, then turned around and left the room. The Claw of the Dragon sure was heavy. Even heavier than the daedric Katana which was strapped on my back and although I had no eyes in the back of my head, I knew already that the backpack was completely full, even brought to the very border of its capacity and I was very confident about the fact that such a great weight on my back wouldn't make the task of finding a secure exit for me very easy.

Without saying any words, I cast the powerful spell of chameleon again and left the master bedroom as swiftly as I had entered it. This time however I had more problems about passing the guards, but in the end I somehow managed to snatch between the two of them and sneak into the staircase behind. From there I moved down to the first floor and after fooling the lone dunmer guard in there, moved to the empty office that sure belonged to that "lord Tremnano", entered it and moved towards the lone window of the room. The light of the pair of moons aided my sensitive eyes, as I scanned both the wall of the manor and the grassy ground beneath. It didn't look like there was any guard around right now, so it might be better if I use the moment and get out of here as quick and silently as possible.

The window itself actually wasn't looked, and after climbing on it and grabbing a secure hold on the wall, I swung my whole body as gracefully as possible out of the window and clutched onto the wall. Closing the window yet again in order not to leave any trace at all, I started to climb downwards, digging my claws slightly into the wall and using a few spells of alteration to support myself. After about five minutes later, my naked, scaled and clawed feet made contact with the grassy ground that surrounded the city. Letting go of my secure hold and with the effects of alteration slowly fading away, I checked the loot which was stuffed in my backpack one last time, then turned around and vanished in the dark of the night, already looking forward for an enjoyable evening with lovely Keel-Raniur.

The next day went on smoothly. I awoke late in the morning to find myself in bed naked, with Keel-Raniur at my side and after enjoying a good breakfast with one another, we both discussed the eventual possibility of Keel-Raniur moving to me. To say I had something against that would be more than just a lie, for Keel-Raniur truly was the first person for decades I truly fall in love with and started a relationship far longer than a one night stand.

At the early midday however, I opened my shop once again and had a not so busy, but otherwise profitable day. Not many people dropped of into my shop today, and even more less was the number of those who eventually bought something. In the end however, at the early evening were I already made my preparations on closing the shop for this day, I found myself satisfied with the knowledge to have gotten rid of more, for me, junk.

I already wondered where Skink-in-Tree's-Shade was and why he was that late, as suddenly it knocked at the door of my shop. Opening it, I quickly found myself face to face with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, who had a large grin on his face. "Your shop looks pretty larger than usual, Sek-Raktaa. Maybe it's filled with something for me?" Smiling again, I stepped aside and made an invitational gesture with my hand. "Of course, what did you expect? May I ask you in so you can pick it up and I can get my payment?" "Your the best, Sek-Raktaa. I knew that I could count on you."

Skink-in-Tree's-Shade quickly followed me in, closing the door behind him and I lead him through a reinforced wooden door into a small office I set up for all my more... private businesses. A hand sized object was placed on the wooden desk, covered by a crude piece of paper and after I removed it, the Claw of the Dragon came clearly into sight. For a small moment, all Skink-in-Tree's-Shade could do was to stare at the very detailed and decorative artefact in front of me, unable to do anything but examining it with eyes filled with joy, curiosity, astonishment and fascination.

After a few more moments however, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade managed to force his mind back to reality, mumbling something that sounded like "finally" under his breath. Then turned to me and pulled a medium sized leather pouch out from under his robe. "I'm most pleased by your efforts, Sek-Raktaa. I give you my deepest thanks and I hope that this small amount of gold is enough to repay you." With that said, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade handed the leather pouch to me. And after opening it to check if everything was there, I actually didn't find the other half of the agreed payment, but the thousand gold pieces plus four hundred more. Raising an eye ridge slightly, I closed the pouch and put it on the desk, looking at Skink-in-Tree's-Shade with a curious expression.

The master wizard just smiled in return and added quickly "I think a small bonus for a job well done is just what you deserved. After all I think it must have been quite difficult to claim the artefact." Well, actually I found it to be rather easy if you keep my close encounter on the first floor and the increased security level on the second floor out. But then again, I really would be an idiot if I would decline a nice little bonus like that. "Thank you very much. Is there anything else I can do for you Skink-in-Tree's-Shade?"

The master shook his head in response. "Not right now, thank you for asking. But I think I will be more busy examining the Claw of the Dragon further than actually do something else. Besides, I think you are already more than enough busy with your little shop and Keel-Raniur. By the way, when do you two planned to get married?" He asked with a large grin in his face, which grew even larger as I regarded him with a dark glare. Then after a few moments, I shook my head and sighed. "Just get the hell out of here." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade chuckled slightly, then took the Claw of the Dragon and put it somewhere under his robe. "I think I can find the exit on myself. Thanks again for your help, Sek-Raktaa. It was good to see you again." "The pleasure was all mine. Watch yourself, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, and until next time." "See you." With that said, the master wizard turned around and left first the office then the shop, to return home to the mages guild in Sadrith Mora.

Leaning myself back against the wall, I sighed out a breath of relief, then left the office myself and walked up to Keel-Raniur who just had locked the door and turned to me. With a big smile on my face, I bowed my head slightly in front of her and offered her my hand, which she took also smiling. I lead her upstairs to the living room and sat her on the netch leather couch and shortly after sat myself next to her with my flute in hands. As I began to play, I felt myself relax from a hard day of work and I also noticed that Keel-Raniur leaned her head back, closed her eyes and simply listened to the wonderful tunes of my flute. The rest of the evening continued that way, with me playing on the flute and Keel-Raniur simply listening to it. Then, after couple of hours I did not count, we both slowly retreated to the bedroom and I hope that you understand that we would like to have some privacy.

The next day started slowly. Slowly and comfortable Keel-Raniur and me rose up from the bed and started the day with a nice breakfast. Then, around midday, I opened my shop yet again which actually wasn't overrun with customers at all. Now it was already evening and until now there were just five customers in here and just two of them actually bought something. Until now that is. Right now however I was actually telling a possible customer the story of an old battered nord iron shield, already rusty in some places which even had a small hole in one place. A hole which was created by a sword as it pierced through it.

"... The nord chieftain felt invulnerable behind this shield, forged by the greatest master smith of Skyrim and made out of the strongest material which was known to the nord at that time. But the sword of the breton lord was made out of pure and fine steel. It pierced through the shield and killed the nord chieftain. And then the battle was over." I said to the seemingly interested altmer as I pointed to small hole. "Well, that's at least the legend around this shield." The altmer simply nodded, as he examined the shield with a more closer lock. Then suddenly the door opened and an argonian I recognised from a trip to Balmora entered.

Dressed in a common brown robe, the argonian looked around shortly, then walked straight up to me. "Greetings marsh brother. You must be Sek-Raktaa Mike Horrigan spoke about. Wait a moment. Do I know you?" Greeting the argonian with a polite smile, I bowed my head slightly in respect as I replied "Yes, I am indeed Sek-Raktaa, marsh brother. You might know me from earlier, Wesk. I paid a little visit to your thieves shop once when I visited Balmora." Wesk went silent for a moment, then looked up again grinning from fin to fin. "Yes, now that you mention it. It truly is very hard to forget somebody, who examines a set of lock picks and probes for three hours before he actually buy them. Do the lock picks still perform a good service to you?" He asked in a part amused part curious tone.

Returning the smile, I nodded. "It seems that I have left a good impression. And to answer your question: yes, they truly perform a great service to me. But I guess that you have not come up here from Balmora just to ask me that, or did you?" I asked him in return with an amused tone. Wesk on the other looked around to make sure nobody was listening, before he actually answered my question. "Indeed. I have not come down here for that. Mike said you have something for me. Would you... be so kind and give it to me now?" "Of course." I replied calmly, shrugging with my shoulders. Then I turned around and walked down the stairs to the storage basement where the sack I had dropped off earlier was located.  
Grabbing a secure hold onto it and swinging it over my shoulder, I quickly made my way back upstairs and walked straight towards Wesk, who greeted me and the sack I was carrying with a big smile. "Great. May I have a look?" Nodding, I placed the sack right in front of him and the very moment my hands left the sack, Wesk leaned forward and opened it slightly. Immediately his eyes glistened with glee and a large smile formed on his muzzle. "Yes. Yes. Yes, yes, yes." He mumbled to no one in particular.

Then he closed the sack again and looked up to me. "Yes, that's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, Sek-Raktaa." His hand vanished under his robe and pulled a small leather pouch out. "Here, take this is a special reward from me." With that said, Wesk threw the small pouch towards me which I caught in mid air with my right hand. Opening it slightly, I found the pouch to be filled with maybe about 50 gold pieces as well as two lock picks and two probes. Closing the pouch again, I looked up to Wesk once again, smiled in approval and bowed slightly. "Thanks a lot, marsh brother. It truly was a pleasure making business with you again, Wesk. Maybe we met once again sometime." Wesk nodded slightly. "Until then, farewell marsh brother." Then he turned around and left the shop with the sack.

Putting the pouch on the desk and then leaving the office once again, I found the altmer still keeping a close look on the old nord iron shield, as Keel-Raniur walked up to me. "Sek-Raktaa, the altmer wants to buy the shield." Nodding and taking a glance towards the altmer, I quickly returned my attention to Keel-Raniur. "Well then, I'll take of all the formalities, would you be so kind and prepare everything to close the shop?" Nodding, Keel-Raniur turned around and vanished into the office I had left just a few moments ago.

The rest of the evening actually proved to be very relaxing and beautiful. The altmer bought the shield for 4.000 gold and shortly after he had left Keel-Raniur and I closed the shop to have the evening for ourselves. And a beautiful at that. Although reluctant at first, I somehow managed to persuade Keel-Raniur to climb with me on the roof of the house, and then both us spend most of the evening by simply sitting side by side watching the sunset. And after the sun had completely set and the pair of moons already had risen up into the clear night sky of Nirn, both Keel-Raniur and me retreated to bed in which we quickly fall asleep, holding each other closely and simply enjoying our presence.

For the next few days however I kept my shop closed. Although I saw the one or the other disappointed look as he/she read the closed shield hanging above the door, but there were other things that needed to be done. I'm tired of talking around the hot spot so I will be straight and clear now. I am in love with Keel-Raniur. Deeply in love. I loved her with all of my heart, and I knew that she felt the same way. Since we first met just a couple of days ago, she actually only left my home once. And since that evening, Keel-Raniur had spend all of her time here with me. And we both agreed that there was no use in having a second home so close nearby. With the help of mine and a few spells of alteration, we both began quickly to gather all of her stuff and then move over to my home. And of course there also needed to be found something who might be interested in having a medium sized home near the centre of Caldera.

Much to my surprise it actually didn't took me as long as I had expected to find someone, a bosmer couple, willing to live there. And then, shortly after the bosmer examined the house more closely and a few final formalities were settled, the house was sold and belonged officially to the bosmer couple. Now, back in my shop again, Keel-Raniur and I were just finished in putting an old but well cared looking ebony shield into an display case near the centre of the room, as suddenly someone knocked on the door.

Exchanging a quick glance with Keel-Raniur, I shrugged my shoulders and walked towards the wooden door. Actually I expected an old friend of my past or a member of the thieves/mages guild to be outside, who wants to ask me for a small favour. There however I was surprised as I found myself face to face with a group of four man. One of them dressed in extravagant purple clothes, the rest of them dressed in full sets save the helm of bonemold armour. And what kind of troubled me was the fact that they were all dunmer.  
The group of dunmer itself actually had a very negative, hostile aura around them, which seemed to even get more intense as they laid eyes upon me. I had a very bad feeling about this. With slightly raised eye ridge and a mental not to be extremely carefully and to keep a spell of destruction prepared, I nevertheless said what I had to say. "I'm sorry, but we've closed. If you want to buy something please return in a few days." I said as politely as possible. "Actually we want to buy something from you indeed, but honestly, my... employees are more interested in some of your... services."

After the last sentence had been spoken, alarm bells started to ring in the back of my head. In a way I had an idea who these dunmer were and more important, who their employee is. "But I think it would be for the best of all of us if we discuss these things inside." The lead dunmer suggested, waving his hand towards the doorway I currently blocked. And slowly, and watchful, I moved away from the door and granted the dunmer the privilege to enter my shop. The dunmer entered my shop slowly afterwards, and while the face of the lead dunmer remained solemn and emotionless, the armoured dunmer seemed to forget their alertness for a brief moment as they examined my shop with a little awe.

The lead dunmer however regained control over the situation and his men again shortly afterwards, by regarding them with a harsh, icy stare that brought the remaining dunmer immediately back to reality, and slowly their faces started to return to their usual emotionless, mean and tough expression. I used the brief moment however to turn the tides and gain control over the situation. "Well, now that we are away from spying eyes and ears," I began in a mocking and sarcastic tone, "would you mind telling me what exactly you want from me?" The leading dunmer, staring angrily at his minions for giving me the chance to gain control over the situation, he turned his attention back to me with a cold face and answered me in a direct, arrogant tone and manner.

"Well, I work for a very... powerful man which had been robbed just a few days ago." I think I know now of what he is about. "My employer has heard that you are known to be an very experienced thiefmage in certain circumstances, and he wants to hire you to retrieve the stolen item from the thief." Well, at least they don't know that I was the one who stole the item I think he is talking about.

"Of course my... employer offers a nice reward if you would accept..." The dunmer didn't even need to finish the sentence as I strictly shook my head. "Look around." I said waving around my shop. "Do you think I would have set up a store and settled down here in Caldera if I still would over my special skills as a thiefmage?" Shaking my head again I retreated a few steps from the group of dunmer. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but my answer is no." The dunmer leading the group however didn't exactly looked to be very satisfied about my answer. "Are you sure that you want to decline such an offer? After all there is a nice reward waiting for you if you would accept. Besides, I don't exactly think that my employer would be very... pleased if I would tell him that you are not interested."

Oh, so that's how it goes. First wave a few pieces of gold in front of my nose and if I then won't come along take the whip out. Sorry, but I'm not exactly the kind of lizard who likes to make deals like that. "I told you already that my answer is no. Now, if you would excuse me, I have other matters to attend to." I waved towards the door. "I think you can find your way out by yourselves."

With emotionless faces, the group of dunmer stared at me with piercing looks for a few more moments, then, one after another, turned around and moved towards the door. Just before passing it and leaving my home, the lead dunmer turned around once more and after regarding first me, then Keel-Raniur who had watched the scenery the whole time, before he spoke again with the same calm and cold voice as he had used all the time. "That was not a very good decision, you know. I think we'll met again." And then the dunmer vanished through the door and left my shop, the silent thread hanging like a disease in the air. This was not over yet.

The next few days however were rather uneventful. From time to time a rich merchant or a lower/higher noble entered my shop and bought something, and that was it. Not to my displeasure however. The days went on long and quiet, and the longer I was together with Keel-Raniur, the more alive felt I.

Keel-Raniur and I spent the days either in the comfortable surroundings of my home, with either Keel-Raniur listening to my songs on the flute or with me, standing still in some corner of the living room while Keel-Raniur painted a picture of me. And I have to say that she really was an artist. Slowly however, the temperatures started to get down and I knew that it wouldn't be very long from now on, until the summer ended and the autumn began. And that also meant that it was time for me to keep my shop more open over the time for the instant the temperatures shrunk to a comfortable level, the people would start to leave their homes more often and go shopping. And that meant for me to maybe have a much larger amount of possible customers in the future. And of course I need to prepare myself for that period of time.

Originally, I had planned to stay here in Caldera just for a couple of weeks, eventually months to get rid of some of the stuff I no longer needed, but now, that I got to know Keel-Raniur and had fallen in love with her, it maybe wasn't such a bad idea to settle down in Caldera for a couple of months/years longer. With such pleasant company I actually wouldn't mind. I had just finished equipping a wooden mannequin with a full set of ancient dunmer steel armour, as Keel-Raniur entered the shop through the office.

"I finished looking through the inventory as you had requested, and everything's just as you expected it to be, including that steel armour over there." She said pointing to the armour I just finished. "Just as I thought." I said nodding, then got up to my feet and turned towards her. "Keel, would you mind of doing me a small favour?" I asked her, as I turned my attention towards an empty display case in the centre of the room. "Of course not, what can I do for you, Sek?" Turning to her once again, I raised my hand and pointed over to the empty display case. "Well, I recently ordered an ancient ebony longsword from one of the pawnbrokers. By now it should be there if there were no complications during the transport, would you mind going over to Texus Callisimus' shop and get the sword for me?"

Keel-Raniur breathed out heavily. "That's on the other side of the city." She moaned out in displeasure, giving me a look as if saying "You can't be serious?". Holding up my hands I defiance, I replied defensively "I just asked. You don't have to if you don't want, but you really would do me a great favour if you would." Staring at her for a couple of moments through pleading eyes, Keel-Raniur finally sighed out loud and nodded. "Okay, okay. If I can help you with that than I'm gonna do it, but stop looking at me like this."

"Thank you. You really do me a big favour by doing that." I replied smiling from fin to fin. Keel-Raniur on the other hand looked at me for a couple of moments through hopeless eyes, then walked towards the door and pulling a common green robe over her common brown and blue clothes, then grabbed a medium sized leather pouch and vanished through the door. If Keel-Raniur would hurry now, she would reach the shop of Texus Callisimus within an hour or one and a half hour.

And while Keel-Raniur was away for the next hours, I would keep myself busy by preparing the one or the other item. And after that was done, I would go upstairs into the kitchen and surprise Keel-Raniur with a nice dinner I would extra cook for her. I couldn't wait for Keel-Raniur to return and to see the expression on her face, once she entered the kitchen and find one of her most favourite meals extra prepared just for her. The hours passed however, but there was no sign of Keel-Raniur. As I looked out of the window and saw slowly the sun set and the twin moons rise, I started to get worried. Keel-Raniur already should have returned a couple of hours ago, and the meal I prepared just for her already had become cold. Slightly saddened by this fact, and far more worried why Keel-Raniur was so late at all, there was however nothing I could do than wait for her return. I didn't even really realised the sleep overpowering me.

I awoke from a hard night, filled with troubled dreams and nightmares, by the sun shining through the windows of the living room straight into my face. Getting up slowly and organising my thoughts, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and looked around in hope to find Keel-Raniur somewhere nearby. But there was nothing. Again I closed my eyes and focused my entire mind onto my hearing in desperate hope to hear someone moving around the house. And again I became disappointed as I heard nothing at all. Yesterday I was worried enough by her absence, but the fact that Keel-Raniur still had not returned made me fear for her dear life. Something was awfully wrong, and I didn't like it one bit.

But I also knew that it would bring me nothing, if I would stay here and wait for Keel-Raniur's return. If she didn't return yesterday and during the night, then she also wouldn't return today. And I wanted to know, what exactly happened with Keel-Raniur. I needed to know what happened to her. I needed her back. She is my first really love for many centuries, and I wouldn't let anything happen to her. Not as long as I live.

Dressing myself in my usual black armour and strapping the sheath in which Bloodred Wind rested over my back, I moved downstairs and left my shop, locking the door behind me. The shop of the pawnbroker Texus Callisimus I asked Keel-Raniur to go to and pick up the sword I ordered, was located near the south gate in the south quarter on the other side of the city, which I could reach within an hour.

The summer was over. The air already started to cool off, but the sun shone nevertheless broadly down on Caldera, creating a warm, but not utterly hot air which was actually a very enjoyable compared to the hot temperatures which reigned over the past few days. The streets were once again filled with lots of people doing whatever they were doing, without waiting for the evening where it cooled down a bit. Usually I would take an opportunity like this to lighten the one or the other belt from a certain leather pouch, but today I had other things on my mind. The worry for Keel-Raniur's safety drove me forward, and about an hour later I finally reached the pawnbroker shop of Texus Callisimus.

Upon entering, I found the imperial, dressed in extravagant violet clothes, standing behind a large table on which a large variety of different items for sale was placed. And the very moment I had passed the door and walked into the shop, the imperial greeted me with a smile. "Hello there, Sek-Raktaa. I was expecting you." "Really?" I asked warily. The imperial regarded me with a puzzled expression, then smiled again and nodded. "Of course friend. I harshly doubt that anyone would pay a lot of gold for an ebony long sword just to never pick it up. It might please you if I tell you, that I got the sword now. You can actually take it with you, if you wish."

Now it was my time to be puzzled. "You say you still have the sword?" "What do you mean, I still have the sword?" The imperial asked me confused. "Yesterday, I sent my partner, a female argonian by the name of Keel-Raniur here to pick the sword up for me." "Really?" The imperial asked me puzzled. Then he shrugged. "Well, I'm very sorry to say this, but there was no argonian here yesterday. In fact, your the only argonian who has entered my shop for days." "I see." I responded nodding. So Keel-Raniur never made it here.

"Well, thanks anyway. Can I have the sword now?" I asked as calmly as I could. The sword truly was the least of my problems right now, but if I get it now I wouldn't have to take the long way in the future. "Of course. Here it is." Texus responded, pulling a sheathed ebony long sword from under the table and putting it on the table. "Thank you." I said as I picked the sword up and left for the door. "No problem. It was a pleasure doing business with you." The imperial shouted after me, but I could hardly hear him. My mind was focused on other things right now. Well, it seems that Keel-Raniur never made it to Texus' shop. But what happened?

The easiest explanation is, that she was robbed and kidnapped by somebody. But who, and more important, why? Well, there were a lot of smaller alleys on the way between my shop and the pawnbroker, so I guess that somebody had forcefully dragged her into the shadows of the alleys and then taken her with him. If I'm lucky, I might even find a clue or something like that. But first I should getting rid of that ebony long sword.

In another hour I made my way back towards my shop and promptly entered it. Putting the ebony long sword on a display case nearby, I was about to turn around and leave the shop as I suddenly spotted something. There, right in front of me at the door, was a small letter. Somebody must had it pushed under the door and then left. There are not many people who send me letters or messages this way, for they usually travel here by themselves or at least send a courier. Curiosity however got the better of me and I picked the small piece of paper up and read over it carefully.

Sek-Raktaa

I think there are a few matters we need to talk about. But since a discussion grows everything but personal by letter, I think it might be better for the both of us if we could meet at a small, quiet place to talk about these things in private from face to face. I will await you in my manor, and I want to plead you to come.

Sincerely

Lord Hico Tremnano

Tremnano. The very name was enough to awake anger in my heart. He did it. He send the dunmer to recruit me for the retrieval of the Claw of the Dragon. And he was the one who let Keel-Raniur get kidnapped after I declined to force me into doing it. If I had knew what would have happened, I would have killed him the very moment I had the chance to do so. But then again, what would I had become of me, if I had killed him other than a reckless murderer. So, you want to meet with me, Lord Tremnano? Well, let us both hope that you are ready for Sek-Raktaa, the argonian. And start praying that nothing happened to Keel-Raniur at all.

It was late in the afternoon, as I arrived at the Tremnano estate once again. This time however I didn't need to climb across the stone wall surrounding the estate, for the front gate was open and a mean looking dunmer, dressed in a full set of bear armour, seemed to await me. And indeed, he immediately reacted as I approached the front gate. Examining me from head to tail tip, the dunmer obviously tried to guess what kind of fighter I was, and I clearly could notice that his look was especially focused on the grip of Bloodred Wind which still was strapped onto my back. The dunmer regarded me with one last look of utter contempt, then spoke.

"You Sek-Raktaa?" He snarled more than he asked. Nodding in response, the dunmer approached me slowly in an obvious attempt to hide his true strength, but I, with four centuries of experience, had no problems at all in peeking through his covers and look what exactly is behind me. "No weapons..." The dunmer said as he moved in an attempt to stop me and take the daedric katana from out of my reach. What the dunmer not expected however, was the reaction in which I responded to his attempt.

Grabbing his wrist in a movement his eyes could barely follow, I twisted it around. Not enough to break it, but enough to get it into a for the dunmer very painful ankle. The dunmer's eyes widened in both, surprise and pain and before he even could start screaming out from pain, I already had enough strength gathered in my arm and by powering up my muscles with magic, I tightened my muscles, lashed out and threw the dunmer across the yard outside the manor as though he would weight nothing at all. The dunmer slithered a few more feet on the ground, and remained unmoving clutching his limbs in pain.

The other dunmer which were guarding the double door which would lead inside the manor, had watched the whole spectacle that actually lasted not any longer than a few heartbeats in awe and fear, and after regarding me with fearful expressions on their faces made no attempt to move into my direction at all. I passed the large entrance without further interruptions and was quickly greeted by another dunmer in a extravagant violet robe.

Although the dunmer raised his eyebrow slightly at the sight of my daedric katana, he seemed to either ignore it or just didn't dare to try and take it from me. "You must be the argonian Sek-Raktaa my lord is waiting for. If I may ask you to follow me. My lord is awaits you in his office." Without waiting for a reply of mine, the dunmer turned around and moved towards the staircase that would lead upstairs. I better act as though I never was in here before, so nobody has a reason to assume that I was the one who stole the Claw of the Dragon.

After the short walk upstairs, the dunmer bowed deeply in front of me, pointed towards the door that lead to the extravagant office and left as quickly as he could. And after opening it, I indeed found myself face to face with the dunmer that had to be lord Hico Tremnano. He actually didn't look that special. A middle aged face, with black tattoos over his eyes and a reddish hair. Dressed in an blue and golden coloured set of extravagant clothing, the dunmer lord sat calmly behind his desk and regarded me warily, his eyes focused on the grip of my daedric katana.

"I thought the guards told you that weapons are not allowed in here." Lord Tremnano snarled at me almost hostile. "Wherever I go, my katana will too." I replied coldly as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Let's skip the formalities, lord Tremnano, what do you want?" The dunmer said nothing. He became silent for a couple of minutes, either testing my sense of patience or thinking how he could get Bloodred Wind away from me.

Then finally, after about twenty minutes, the dunmer spoke again. "I fear the question is not what can you do for me." His voice was cold and serious. "The question is what can you do for my lord." For a moment I was actually very puzzled, then suddenly the door behind me opened and a dunmer I knew all to well entered. It was a dunmer of middle aged features, with an well build body, long bushy eye brows, shoulder length raven black hair and menacing red eyes. The dunmer was dressed in a complete set of orcish armour save the helm, and was known all across Vvardenfell by the name of Orvas Dren, Hlaalu Councillor and leader of the ancient dunmer crime syndicate known as the Cammona Tong.

And it was then, in this very moment, as Hico Tremnano stood up from his chair and retreated to the back of the room to let Orvas Dren taking his place at the desk, that I realised what this all was about. The Claw of the Dragon was somehow acquired, either bought or stolen, by one of Orvas Dren cammona tong thieves. Then Skink-in-Tree's-Shade somehow became attracted to that very artefact and tracked the cammona tong member down to this manor in Caldera, where the thief gave the artefact to Hico Tremnano to keep it safe until Orvas Dren himself would arrive to pick it up. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade tried to barter with Tremnano, but he refused so he came to me and asked me to steal it for him, which I did. Orvas Dren then arrived on the scenery and found his precious artefact stolen by an unknown thief. Then he tries everything he can to track down the thief and retrieve the Claw of the Dragon. And by doing that, he somehow must have found out that the Claw of the Dragon now is in Skink-in-Tree's-Shade's possession and he needs someone to steal it back. But stealing from an skilled master wizard is for a normal thief very close to suicide, so Orvas Dren needs something much more tougher than a thief. And then he somehow got word from an very skilled thiefmage who recently gave up stealing and opened a small shop for antiques near the centre of the city. But then something happened that Orvas Dren did not expected. The thiefmage actually refused his offer of great wealth in exchange for the Claw of the Dragon. But Orvas Dren would not accept a no from me, so he send a few of his thugs out to ambush and capture the thiefmage's beloved only then to force him into running that little errand for him. Clever.

The dunmer crime lord of the cammona tong, leaned back in the comfortable looking chair and pointed to a similar chair in front of the desk, and motioned for me to sit down. Watching the dunmer warily, I slowly sat down on the chair, leaned back by myself and positioned my head to keep as much of the room in plain view as possible. Hico Tremnano didn't seem to appreciate my reaction towards Orvas Dren very much, although the crime lord seemed to be amuse as he kept on watching me.  
"It looks like you already heard of me." The dunmer suddenly said, in a cold and serious voice. With respect and politely I sure wouldn't come far in this case, first because I was an argonian, a lizard man, and second because I was an outlander, so I decided to continue this dialog in a similar cold and serious tone. "Indeed I did." I replied, letting the pair of dunmer not out of sight. "The thieves guild is actually not very found of you."

"The thieves guild, phhhhh." He replied in a disapproving voice and gesture. "They are like dirty rats, like vermin that needs to be exterminated, and the cammona tong is the cat that will take care of it." Well, that is yet about to come, isn't it? In any way, I decided it might be better if I replied nothing in return and didn't let myself get provoked by that piece of Guar excrement. "I am here now. What do you want from me?" I asked directly, cold and seriously. For a very brief moment Orvas Dren seemed to be taken aback by my sudden change of topic. It seems he did expected me to get in on his open provocation. A mistake.

After a few moments however, Orvas Dren seemed to regain his composure and continued in the same cold and serious tone of voice as he had started the dialogue, although I guesses that he had made a mental note that I'm not somebody to get easily distracted by a sudden and open provocation. "Well, a few weeks ago I was able to come into possession of a certain artefact known as the Claw of the Dragon. It's a claw shaped stone, clutching a yellowish crystal with a dragon figurine inside. Anyway, my courier stopped here in Caldera and gave the artefact towards my long time business partner Hico Tremnano here, who should keep an eye on the artefact until I arrived here and picked up."

He made a long pause, obviously thinking carefully over his next words, until he continued. "The problem now is that I have arrived just a few days ago and found that someone has stolen the Claw of the Dragon." "Really?" I asked with a slightly raised eye-ridge and a small doses of sarcasm in my voice. As I expected, Orvas Dren seemed to ignore the small provocation but I could clearly notice that the features of Tremnano's expression darkened and he started glaring at me. "Really." Orvas Dren replied calmly. "By no other than the known Skink-in-Tree's-Shade." I faked slight surprise, as I raised my eye-ridge slightly.

"And? What is my role in all of this?" I asked the obvious. "You, my friend, are the one who's gonna steal the Claw of the Dragon back from Skink-in-Tree's-Shade." I raised my eye ridge. "Stealing from a master wizard?" I snorted. "Do you think I'm a fool? Forget it." Tremnano's face darkened and he almost looked like he was about to beat the crap out of me every moment. Orvas Dren on the other hand just smiled and leaned back in the chair.

"Are you really sure about your decision?" "Pretty sure." I replied coldly. Orvas Dren sighed, then seemed to look down in defeat. "Well then. I can't force you into doing that." He said in a more friendlier tone. "Exactly." I replied and was about to stand up and leave, as he quickly added "A shame about that girl." I stopped dead in my tracks, as I started to glare at him. "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked coldly in a more than unfriendly way.

Orvas Dren then suddenly looked up again and regarded me with a smug expression on his face. "You didn't think that it was mere coincidence that I asked you here after that scaled girlfriend of yours vanished." Damn right. I already had somehow the idea that Hico Tremnano, or now Orvas Dren, was behind all this, and now I only found my worst fears confirmed. The muscles in my entire body tightened, as my expression turned from cold and unfeeling to a snarl of hate and rage. Hico Tremnano took a step towards me, but stepped in his tracks as Orvas Dren raised his hand. But before I could say something, Orvas Dren spoke.

"The Claw of the Dragon belongs to me, and I want to have it back. I know that you might have the skill to retrieve it for me. So, here are the rules. First. We have that filthy scaled girlfriend of yours. Second. If you refuse to work for me, or I get the word that you run away with the Claw, I will let her get killed. Do you understand, my little lizard?" He finished with a smug expression on his face and in a very self-confident, icy and hostile voice.

In a flush of blind anger and hatred, I jumped to my feet. The extravagant looking chair I just sat in whirled backwards with blinding speed, until it made harsh contact with the wall and broke into pieces with a loud, cracking sound. Shortly afterwards, my hands slammed down heavily on the wooden desk, impaling themselves into the well manufactured wood creating a large amount of cracks among the surface of the desk. Tremnano looked to be become extremely furious about what I did to his furniture, but I both, almost didn't really noticed it with all my anger and rage concentrated on Orvas Dren, and the dunmer was also being held back a simple gesture of Orvas Dren.

"If. You. Even. Touch. Her..." I somehow managed to choke out from between my anger and rage, but Orvas Dren wouldn't let me finish. "Then it will be your fault." He replied simply, staring smugly into my face. In that very moment, I wished nothing more than to leap over the desk, screaming out an old argonian battle cry and then rip his throat out with bare fangs and to feast of his warm blood. But that was not me. I would not give Orvas Dren the satisfaction of bringing me out of my composure and to turn me into the beast many dunmer liked to portray me. I would never disgrace myself to this.

As the staring between Orvas Dren and myself continued, I felt my temper regaining and I slowly started to move backwards. "Here are the rules." I repeated Orvas Dren's cold and precise tone. "I get the Claw of the Dragon, and give it to you. And in return you let Keel-Raniur go and leave her and me alone from there." Orvas Dren's face kept his expression of self-confidence and smugness. "Well, that depends..." "THAT depends on NOTHING." I snarled in barely more than a whisper, but in the ghostly silence of the room I felt sure that both, Orvas Dren and Hico Tremnano could me as plain as I would be standin right beside them. "I get you the Claw of the Dragon, and then you will let Keel-Raniur go. If you do not follow these rules, or if Keel-Raniur's scales have even the slightest scratch, I'm gonna kill you." I said as cold as ice. "I'm gonna rip the skin off your body, rip your intestines out and leave what remains of you for the rats. Do you understand?"

Now it was Orvas Dren who lost his composure, as he too got to his feet, an expression of anger and rage on his face. "Watch your forked tongue, lizard. In my office, in my manor, I am the only one to make threats." He snarled back at me in the same cold voice. In response, I glared at him through menacing eyes, with slithed pupils who shrunk that only a dagger with a very fine blade would be still able to cut them into halves, as I snarled right back at him "I do NOT make threats. I make promises."

"Empty promises maybe." Orvas Dren simply replied in return, then calmed down again and slumped down on the chair. "We know that Skink-in-Tree's-Shade is back in Sadrith Mora. Get there and return me the Claw of the Dragon. I do not care who you do that, just get the Claw and return it here. Simply enough, isn't it?" Orvas Dren said as smugly and arrogant as before. I did not reply anything at all. In that very moment, there was no word on my tongue that could describe the large amount of rage, hatred, desperation and concern. I just gave Orvas Dren one last glare, then turned around and left the room.

All the way back home from my manor, everything seemed to perish from my heart. The anger I felt towards Orvas Dren. The pain about Keel-Raniur's kidnapping. The concern for her safety. Everything started to simply vanish, being driven away and replaced by a giant emptiness. Keel-Raniur was kidnapped, in grave danger. And it was all my fault. If I just wouldn't have spoken to her that one day in Shenk's Shovel, if Skink-in-Tree's-Shade never would have asked me to steal the Claw of the Dragon, if the Claw of the Dragon wouldn't even exist, then all of this would not have happened. I cursed Orvas Dren, cursed Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, cursed Keel-Raniur and especially cursed myself. What kind of fool had I been, that I was not be able to see this coming? It was like on Sskrahtor so many years ago.

Two centuries ago, I travelled for the third time through a magical portal into another world, similar to Nirn, with the big difference that it was completely inhabited by a race of humanoid reptiles similar to us argonians, and the fact that on this very world technology slowly started to develop in form of the steam machine. Magic and technology existed in a strange, yet interesting balance. And it was on this very world on which I had fallen in love for the first time. Until that very day, I lived my entire life on the streets of the worlds, always travelling from place to place to steal and gather wealth wherever I could, and sometimes arranging a one night stand if the needing had grown too much for me.

Then, one day, I met a young, female thief on Sskrahtor by the name of Ssyrkaa. I was just in the middle of a small heist on a local museum, as I met her, grabbing for a valuable piece of art that I targeted for myself. And then, after a troublesome escape from both the guards and authorities, we got into a nice talk and then the rest developed on its own. One day however, we were paid to rob from a local crime lord. The heist was successful, but the very pieced off crime lord send a bunch of assassins after our tails, and not soon after the assassins had located us. We both fought back bravely and managed to take three of them out. The last assassin however threw a throwing dagger into my direction, which never reached me. I was just about to prepare myself to the overwhelming that soon would emit in my chest, as a dark figure threw itself between me and the throwing dagger. I killed the last assassin with a spell of lightning, but it was already too late. Ssyrkaa had thrown herself straight into the dagger in order to save my own life. She did not knew, that I was an immortal, and neither was she. And then I could only watch as Ssyrkaa slowly died in my arms.

Her death was my fault, clearly. If I had just told her what exactly I was, she would not have jumped into the throwing dagger and I could have had a long, beautiful life with her. But I did not told her and paid the price for doing it. On that very day, something deep inside of me was shattered, and I didn't want to love ever again in my life. Never again, I wanted to become destroyed like that again.

And then I met Keel-Raniur. She was exactly like Ssyrkaa had been, and the very moment I saw her, I had fallen in love with her. And now she was gone, kidnapped, with her life constantly threatened and probably forced to slavery. And, like it was in Sskrahtor so many years ago, it was all my fault. If I had just declined Skink-in-Tree's-Shade question or if I just had became more alarmed after the group of cammona tong thugs had left my shop, Keel-Raniur still would be with me, safe and in freedom. All my fault. Weak and powerless, I dropped onto the netch leather couch in the living room of my house. Tears started to form themselves in my eyes, and slowly I began to cry.

"Why me?" Keel-Raniur asked herself. "Out of all the people of Caldera, I'm the only one who always seems to get into trouble." Keel-Raniur sat alone in the corner of a dark cell, deep in the bowels of a manor she did not know. Why happen such things always to her? It was just a few days ago, as she met the argonian she was sure to share the rest of her life. Then he asked her to get a special enchanted ebony long sword from a pawnbroker near the south gate of the city, and halfway on her way there she was brutally ambushed and kidnapped by a bunch of dunmer thugs. Her wounds had already stopped aching hours ago, but Keel-Raniur was sure that it would take days, if not weeks, for all the bruises and scratches to heal.

A slave bracer already was attached to her right wrist and she could feel how the magic surrounding the bracer drained her own magic and prevented her from casting any spells, and she knew that finding a way to escape would be a very hard task. But then she remembered the countless times in which she also got herself into big trouble, backed into a corner and surrounded by undeads with only three arrows left for her bow and an old, rusty iron short sword. And she always somehow managed to find a way out of these situations. She had to admit, the chances were anything but good, for her cell possessed no window at all, the only light emitted from a torch outside her cell which send its light through a small, latticed opening at the massive looking wooden door and Keel-Raniur by herself had a slave bracer on her right wrist which was chained to the wall. The situation looked clearly hopeless, but she wouldn't give up to try to escape nevertheless. She wouldn't be Keel-Raniur, if she would just give up. But for the moment, she only hoped that her beloved Sek-Raktaa, was safe.

I didn't knew how much time passed as I woke up again, but it the sun slowly started to rise and the orange- reddish light of the dawn pierced through the windows of the living room and filled the room with light. My heart and very soul seemed to ache, and the scales of my face were still dark and wet from the heavy amount of tears that I had shed.

In a way it was funny. I am an immortal, nearly invulnerable and wounds by weapons means little to me. And yet, my enemies only have to separate me from a certain person to wound me far worse than any blade could do. In that very moment, I really started to ask myself if love truly is a blessing. Or perhaps it is a curse. Maybe even both. But that didn't matter to me anymore. Blessing or curse, I knew that I loved Keel-Raniur with all of what remains of my shattered heart, and as long as I have still an inch of life in my body, I swear that I would not allow anyone to hurt her in the slightest of ways.

Maybe I failed in that. Maybe I failed to protect her from her attackers, but I would not fail again. I will not make my mistakes twice. I will not allow Keel-Raniur to die in front of my eyes like Ssyrkaa did so many centuries ago. This time not. I will get the Claw of the Dragon and bring it to Orvas Dren if there is no other way, but for Adanos, if Orvas Dren tries to set me up or if he even hurt her one scale, I will hunt him down and let him suffer a fate far more worse than anything Beliar's hell could offer.

Suddenly a new kind of power awakened in the deepest deeps of my soul. A power that I never was really aware of, let alone knew of its presence. A power that supplied me with a new kind of strength and drove me forward. A power that I more than just welcomed right now, considering the bad situation that I, and more important, that Keel-Raniur was in.

About an hour later I was ready to go. Dressed in my usually set of black clothes plus the light black leather and fabric armour that covered them. The daedric katana Bloodred Wind was sheathed and strapped onto my belt, accompanied by a leather pouch filled with 2500 gold pieces. To complete the look I also put my black cloak on, in order to hid my valuable katana and the leather pouch from the sight of any wannabe thief.

Leaving my shop through the front door, I locked the door behind me and put the key into a small pouch of my armour, then left towards the guild of mages. I didn't took me long to arrive there, and upon entering I was greeted by a bosmer receptionist. "Can I help you?" He asked me in a polite tone. Looks like the mages guild finally managed to get rid of that unfriendly imperial. I just hope that this will teach them a lesson, that a competent receptionist is more important than most people think.

"No, thanks. I just require the guild travel." I responded in a similar tone. "I see. Well, have a nice day then." The bosmer replied politely, then turned his attention back towards the entrance as I passed the door that lead me into the bowels of the Caldera mages guild. On my way towards the second floor, I encountered a whole bunch of mages guild members of every rang, some of them bowing slightly as I passed them in a rush, others just staring at me like they couldn't believe their own eyes. I wonder what I did that made me so damn famous within the guild. All I did was performing the tasks given to me, and that was it. Nothing special, really. But right now I had other things on my mind.

Finally I arrived at the teleportation chamber, and after paying the small fee I was quickly engulfed by a strong spell of teleportation, only to find me in the halls of the mages guild in Sadrith Mora again. Or should I say, in Wolverine Hall? In all my years of life, I actually never really encountered a mages guild which had its guild hall straight in the bowels of an imperial fort other like here in Sadrith Mora. And compared to all the other mages guilds all across Vvardenfell, the guild halls of Wolverine hall truly were the smallest. Just a very large room which contained a small alchemy laboratory, reception, guild guide teleportation, library and enchanting forge. The naked stone walls were covered by a small tapestry here and there as well as interrupted by a whole bunch of doors, one of them leading towards the staircase which lead to the rest of the fort, the other doors leading towards the chambers of the local mages guild members.

I surveyed the room roughly, but was unable to spot Skink-in-Tree's-Shade. Turning towards the altmer guild guide nearby, I asked her in a polite tone "Excuse me, have you seen master wizard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade lately?" The altmer nodded her head. "Yes, master wizard Sek-Raktaa. You'll find him in his chambers. But I would knock first, master wizard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade is not in a very good mood lately." I raised my eye ridge by that comment. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade actually was a very happy argonian always of good mood. Something was wrong here, and my guts tell me that I won't like it.

Nevertheless I thanked the female altmer for her advice, and moved towards the door which lead to Skink-in-Tree's-Shade's chambers. Most of the other members knew me from the time I studied here and performed tasks in Skink-in-Tree's-Shade's mission, and therefore greeted me with a polite smile without acting so weird like the other members in Caldera. However I also could see a few new faces in here, most of them probably apprentices studding various forms of magic, and much to my displeasure they all reacted like their comrades in Caldera.

Deciding to shrug it off for now, I continued the small way towards Skink-in-Tree's-Shade chamber and knocked on the door. "Who's there?" A gruff voice replied harshly. The female altmer was right. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade really is pieced about something. "Your worst nightmare." I replied in the friendliest tone I could manage right now, considering the situation I was in.

From the chamber itself however came to no reply. Instead I heard a few footsteps approaching, and shortly after the wooden door to the small chamber opened, with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade standing behind it, a weak smile on his face. "Hello, Sek-Raktaa. Please come in, your most welcome right now." He said, gesturing to me to step in. Something about Skink-in-Tree's-Shade's voice was weird. He sounded so... down. More than unnatural for him. With a slightly raised eye ridge, I entered the small chamber and Skink-in-Tree's-Shade closed the door behind me.

The chamber itself actually wasn't that big. Slightly larger than the one I had in Caldera, but still small. Barely enough place to place a comfortable looking bed, a common wooden table and two chairs, as well as a book shelf containing a large amount of books and a pair of chests. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade gestured for me to sit down on one of the chairs, which I promptly did and almost immediately spotted the three empty bottles of cyrodiilic flin standing on the table itself. Again something that was not typical for Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, for he was, like me, not much of a drinker. The feeling that something was wrong got more intense now.

Well, I would have to ask him anyway, so I better don't even start with this talking around the hot spot. "Is everything alright, Skink? Your acting... strange." I said carefully pointing towards the empty bottles of flin. For a brief moment, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade simply stared at them, like he was about to vanish in one of them, then turned his tired gaze back to me. "Nothing's alright, Sek. Nothing." "What happened?" I asked part curios part worried for my long time friend. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade sighed.

"I just returned from Caldera, with the Claw of the Dragon in my possession and the desire to examine it in my mind. And then, I return from a small trip to the market place to find the Claw of the Dragon stolen." Oh great. That's just what I need. Keel-Raniur's captured, her life in grave danger and depending whether I return the Claw of the Dragon or not. And now the Claw of the Dragon was stolen. Again.

"When did that happen?" I asked in concern, fearing for Keel-Raniur's safety. "Three days ago. Why? What happened?" I sighed out loud, then breathed in heavily. "I know whom belonged the Claw of the Dragon before I stole it for you." I said simply. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade shrugged. "And? Who is he?" "Non other than Orvas Dren himself." For a few moments, there was absolute silence in the room and Skink-in-Tree's-Shade didn't dare to move even one muscle. Slowly however, the shock started to wore off and Skink-in-Tree's-Shade dared moving again, twitching his tail in nervousness.

"The leader of the cammona tong himself?" He asked me slightly fearful, in one desperate hope that he didn't got the name right. "The one and only." I replied simply. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade sat himself onto the remaining chair in shock. "That's not good. That's truly not good." He mumbled silently in shock. Then he looked up again, looking me deep into my eyes. "Let me guess, he has send a bunch of assassins after us, right." I shook my head in reply. "He doesn't knew that I was the one who stole the Claw of the Dragon from Tremnano manor.

"Then... then the assassins are only after me?" He asked in shook and disbelief. "No, Skink. There are no assassins after you. But still it's far more worse than you could think." "How do mean that?" He asked, the expression on his face slowly brightening again, knowing that he hadn't to worry if he would ever wake up if he went to sleep any more. I felt a knot forming itself in my throat, and barely managed to swallow it down.

"They know of my experiences as a thiefmage." I replied in an unemotional tone. "They recruited me to get the Claw of the Dragon back." "Your not somebody who would work for the cammona tong willingly. What happened?" Again I had to chock a knot down my throat. "A few days ago, a bunch of cammona tong agents paid a little visit at my shop and tried to persuade me into doing that job for them. I declined and then... then..." "Then what?" The more I talked about, the more harder it became for me to speak, as I felt tears forming themselves in my eyes yet again. "Then they kidnapped Keel-Raniur."

Somehow I managed to hold back my tears, but I could nevertheless hear him gasp loudly in surprise and shock. "I'm... I... I'm sorry Sek. I... had no idea." "How could you know?" I replied simply, looking down onto the floor in mind absence. For a brief moment, the small room was inhabited by a uncomfortable silence. The tension in the air already was strong enough, to be almost touchable. In that very moment, I knew that my friendship with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade would have to suffer a hard test.

After all, it was Skink-in-Tree's-Shade who caused all of this. He was the one, who asked me to steal the Claw of the Dragon from Tremnano manor. He is the reason, why Keel-Raniur had been kidnapped anyway. But then again, was I by myself really all that innocent? After all, it was me who accepted the job. I was the one who broke into Tremnano manor and stole the Claw of the Dragon. And where have I been, as Keel-Raniur, the very argonian I sworn to protect at all costs, was ambushed and kidnapped? Was all of this mess really Skink-in-Tree's-Shade fault?

"Are you... do you make me responsible for this?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked in a silent voice, barely more than whisper. The tension reached its peak. "Yes." I replied simply, as I nodded. "You were the one who asked me to steal the Claw of the Dragon. You are the reason, why Keel-Raniur was kidnapped in the first place. If you had never heard of that artefact before, Keel-Raniur now would be still with me." I said monotone. I felt, that Skink-in-Tree's-Shade was about to say something back, but I cut him off before he even got the chance to say a word. "But then again, it was me who accepted the job." I said silently, keeping a straight look on the wooden floor at my feet.

"I was the one who broke into Tremnano manor. I was the one who stole the Claw of the Dragon. And I was not at Keel-Raniur's side, in the very moment she needed me the most." I shook my head harshly. "No, I'm just as responsible for the situation as you are." For a moment, there was another round of uncomfortable silence and tension within the room. Then I heard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade sighing out loud, probably in relief, and the tension within the air fade away.

Then suddenly, I felt a clawed hand on my shoulder. "Thank you, Sek." I nodded simply, as I stared at the clawed, scaled hand on my shoulder, then looked up towards the reptilian face of whom belonged the hand. "If there is anything, I can do to help you with, then I'm gonna do it. No matter what happens?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade said in a quiet, calming tone, then I place my own hand on top of his and nodded again. "Thank you, Skink. Your a real friend." The argonian master wizard nodded. "Your welcome."

There was another round of silence within the room, this time without the tension, in which I thought about my next steps. "You said the Claw of the Dragon was stolen just three days ago?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade nodded. "Well, then we should get moving. If the thief was of the thieves guild, we might be lucky and get him once we reached Dirty Muriel's cornerclub. If not, there might be somebody who knows something about the theft." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade nodded. "Well then. I just get my staff and robe, and then we can go." I nodded in reply, as Skink-in-Tree's-Shade prepared himself for the journey ahead of us. I may have failed you once, Keel-Raniur my love, but I promise you, that I will not fail you again.

Keel-Raniur did not know, for how long she was imprisoned in this dark cell, with the only lights peeking through a small, latticed opening in the door, chained with a slave bracer to the wall with actually no clothing at all with just her natural scales to hid her genitals. From time to time, the light coming through the opening would grew brighter when a guard passed, occasionally peeking through the opening and staring at her.

The situation actually looked pretty bad. Not a single entered her cell until yet to even give her something to eat, or to lead her towards... "interrogation" or even slave labour. And this was not a good sign. Of course there was a way and a chance to escape, but in order to be successful, Keel-Raniur would have to be taken from the cell to another place. If she was lucky, she then might think over another way of escape. The question hereby is only, would she make it or would she die trying? But then again, death was far better than be forced and used as a slave, treated like a being lower than dirt.

A sudden noise snapped Keel-Raniur back to attention, and not shortly afterwards, the heavy wooden door that had been blocking the way to her cell was pulled open from the outside. The sudden amount of light that fell into the dark cell penetrated Keel-Raniur's reptilian eyes, and she kept on blinking until her eyes adjusted themselves to the new level of light, whimpering silently from the sudden pain in her eyes while her eyes started to water a bit.

As far as Keel-Raniur could see, there were three people standing in the doorway. All of them dunmer, and she recognised one of them, who seemed to be the leader dressed in a full set of steel armour save the helm, as the very dunmer who lead the troop of thugs which had ambushed her on her way towards the pawnbroker.

The trio didn't say a word, but the leader pointed his finger on her and the dunmer closest to her, dressed in a full set of bonemold armour save the helm, moved towards her. The dunmer had a large amount of nasty scars across his face, and looked very muscular and experienced. Keel-Raniur also could notice the steel long sword which was attached to the dunmers belt. Well, at least Keel-Raniur didn't have to worry any longer about a way out of her cell. That is, if the dunmer are not here to have their cruel and sickening way with her.

The dunmer with the scarred face however looked at Keel-Raniur with utter contempt and hatred burning in his eyes, like if he would love nothing more than to rape her right there, then slowly torturing her to death and fed her corpse towards the nix-hounds. But the dunmer did noon of these things, and Keel-Raniur silently breathed out in relief, as the dunmer unlocked the chain on her bracer and took a few steps back.

The leader of the small group of dunmer then took a step forward, examining her from head to tail tip with unemotional face, until he spoke in low, cold voice "The boss wants to see you. I don't exactly know what he has to discuss with such a useless vermin such as yourself, but you will come with us. Move in any way we don't like, and you'll have our blades in your heart, got it lizard?"  
Keel-Raniur simply nodded, keeping her mouth closed so not to provoke the already more than hostile dunmer further. Slowly she got up to her feet, and was soon harshly guided out of the small cell she had lived in the last few hours. She didn't even try to escape. She was leaded by one of the dunmer guards in bonemold armour, with their leader and the other guard hard on her tail. Keel-Raniur doubted, that she would survive for long if she now tried to pick a fight. The dunmer in front of her lead her through a narrow, small lighted hallway with plenty of cell doors on both sides, the sounds of whimpering emitting from the one or the other and the penetrating smell of excrements in the air. Keel-Raniur started to get sick in her stomach, as her captors dragged her mercilessly through the corridor, but held on nevertheless. She wouldn't show any weakness to these dunmer scum.

Soon they arrived in front of a large wooden door, which the dunmer in front of her opened and stepped through, with Keel-Raniur following close behind. And after a long, tiresome walk up a pretty high staircase, the trio arrived at yet another wooden door, which the dunmer in front of her opened. Following the guard on his heels through the doorway, Keel-Raniur was rather surprised to find herself in an hallway, which looked pretty much like imperial made. She really expected to find herself in a dunmer made hallway again.

The guard behind her then pushed her roughly forward, bringing her mind back to reality. Again she was lead through a narrow hallway, which was however not inhabited by doors on the right side of the hallway, but also from a small amount of windows on her left. Secretly she glanced out of the windows from time to time, trying to determine where exactly she was help captive. The only thing however that was visibly through the windows, were a huge amount of rocks, stone and dirt. She didn't knew exactly where she was, but she was not in Caldera any longer. Again Keel-Raniur was forced up a staircase, until they stopped in front of a door which Keel-Raniur believed to lead to the second floor, then passed through it.

The dunmer lead her through yet another hallway, until they seemed to stop at the very end and the dunmer which had lead the group pointed towards a reinforced wooden door on Keel-Raniur's left. "Move it, lizard. The boss doesn't like to keep on waiting." Deciding it was best not to even look back to the dunmer, Keel-Raniur opened the door and walked in. Only to find herself inside of an extravagant looking office. And face to face with a being she had heard stories about and whom she feared. The Hlaalu councillor and leader of the cammona tong, Orvas Dren himself, sitting behind the an exquisite looking desk, examining her through cold and merciless eyes.

"So, you must the famours artist and archer Keel-Raniur, I presume?" Swallowing hard, Keel-Raniur nodded. "Your skills are pretty impressive. I am honoured to share my time with an professional such as yourself." He said politely, gesturing towards the empty chair in front of her. Although reluctant at first, she took the offered seat and made herself comfortable. With great effort, she managed to hold a moan of pleasure within her throat. After all these countless hours, sitting on wet hey on the cold stone floor, the small padding on the wooden chair really felt more than just good to her scales.

"So, I take it that you want to know why you're here in the first place?" He asked in the same polite tone he had the moment she entered. But that didn't change anything about the way he looked at her. It was a look of emotion- and coldness. The look of a ruthless leader, slaver and murderer. She would have to be extremely careful in here. And reluctant she nodded. Orvas Dren then smiled slyly, like a child which just had been realised to have done something wrong. "You see, a couple of days ago, something was stolen from me. Something I would like to have back." Keel-Raniur was sure, that Orvas Dren meant the Claw of the Dragon, which her beloved Sek-Raktaa has talked about here and there.

"Originally I planned to buy the more... discrete and special services of your friend, the antique trader and thiefmage Sek-Raktaa, but he has declined my offer. So, since there are not many beings able to perform such a delicate task as this, I saw no other chance than to invite you to a small stay for a couple of days until I have my item back." Invite her to a small stay for a couple of days? That truly was an interesting way to put, Keel-Raniur thought to herself. "I also know that you are truly skilled with the bow, and that's why you are here."

Now he got her attention. Orvas Dren started to smile coldly, as her noticed Keel-Raniur looking more curiously at him. "As I said, I'm truly impressed by your skills, and would like to offer you a job as a... well... watcher. Someone who keeps an eye on Sek-Raktaa and the people he gets into touch with, and report it to me here and there. Interested?" That arrogant asshole. How could he even dare, to ask her to spy on her beloved? For a brief couple of moments, Keel-Raniur just stared at her opponent through a dark, cold glare. "After all, it's far more better than to lift a pick and hack the stones 16 hours a day." Orvas Dren added after a while in a more polite, but nevertheless demanding tone.

Well, if he wants her to be direct, he would get more than he bargained for. "Why don't you try, to breath under water? Or how about jumping out of that window over there? Or what do you think about ramming a dagger between your eyes?" Keel-Raniur replied coldly. In that very moment, Keel-Raniur really expected the dunmer to jump up from his seat and to slap her across her face. But again she was surprised, as the dunmer simply leaned back in his chair, a smug grin on his face. "A feisty one, aren't we?" Orvas Dren looked down on the desk in front of him, shrugging. "Although I'm a little disappointed about the outcome of our meeting, I have to say that in a way I expected it to come this way. Guards!"

The wooden door opened and the pair of bonemold armoured dunmer stepped in. "Take her to the... guest quarters. And make sure, that she enjoys her stay." The pair of dunmer nodded, grabbing Keel-Raniur harshly by her armpits and dragged her out of the office to an uncertain fate.

Half an hour later, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade was finally ready to go. Dressed in a few exquisite clothes and an expensive blue robe, he had also equipped himself with a small leather pouch filled with gold which was attached to his belt, and an enchanted daedric dagger which also was attached to his belt. To complete the look, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade took his precious wizard's staff in his claws and mentioned me to lead the way.

Shrugging, I moved towards the door, opening it and walking through it. For a brief moment, the entire attention of the mages guild was focused on both me and even more focused on Skink-in-Tree's-Shade. The altmer guild guide seemed to be right after all. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade truly was in a bad mood lately. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade always retreated back into his chambers, if he was of a bad mood. It was his way of escaping reality to meditate, relax and restore his powers to focus on the more important things of life. But never before, at least as far as I knew, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade has locked himself up days.

But that was gladly over now and we both were on our way to a journey, which I had the feeling would soon turn into a hunt far greater than I bargained for. If it would come this way or not however, only time can tell. "I will be gone for a couple of days, Procyon. Would you be so kind and look after the guild as long as I am away?" I heard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asking his second in command, the imperial Procyon Nigilius. The imperial however said nothing but I assume that he must have nodded or something like that, for I clearly heard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade thanking him a few seconds later, then we both left the small halls of the mages guild of Wolverine Hall in Sadrith Mora.

Wolverine Hall actually was just like any other imperial fort should be. A small fortress, raised up near a large city to protect the city from attackers and to defend the rights of all the citizens of the empire. However, there were indeed a few differences that made Wolverine Hall unique compared to all the other imperial forts all across Vvardenfell. Since the entire east part of the isle of Vvardenfell was controlled by the house telvanni, which usually prefer to be left alone by the imperials and the other houses, Wolverine Hall was much larger than most other forts to provide home for two garrisons instead of one, for Wolverine Hall happened to be the only imperial fort in the telvanni controlled region of Vvardenfell. Another big difference compared with all the other forts also is, that the fighters guild and the mages guild both have their local quarters in a few rooms of the main keep of Wolverine Hall, for most of the conservative mage lords of house telvanni are known for their great dislike in the mages guild and the fighters guild, for both organisations are supported by the empire.

It truly was shame, to see a house as powerful and promising as house telvanni being ruled by a bunch of ageing, left behind fools, who still are not able to let go of their old hatred, prejudices and traditions like slavery. It was because of these things, that I joined the house of telvanni a few years ago, for I got the word that there are a few, young mage lords, which seek to abandon their old, bad habits and to lead their house into a glorious future. I joined the house of telvanni to aid these mage lords, and because I have, like any other real argonian, a personal grudge against slavery. And being part of a house practising slavery and to get to know their many secrets and possibilities is one of the best methods to act against things like slavery. I must admit, that in the first few weeks it had been anything but easy for me, for I was treated like scum or something lower than dirt, only because I have claws, scales, horns and a tail. But the harder I worked for the future of house telvanni, the more respect I earned from exactly those dunmer I wanted to help, like the young, powerful mage lord Aryon of Tel Vos, for example. And the more I worked to earn their respect and trust, the more I earned hatred, contempt and distrust from the old, ageing fools I sought to crush. One of them, the mage lord Neloth, resides in Tel Naga, the telvanni tower here in Sadrith Mora. It was no secret, that of all of the conservatie mage lords, master Neloth hated me the most. More than once I had to fought off and assassination attempt on me from master Neloth, and here, in Sadrith Mora which was inhabited by a whole bunch of Neloth's spies, I would have to be extremely carefully.

The trek from the outskirts of Wolverine Hall towards Dirty Muriel's cornerclub didn't took us more than about ten minutes, for the cornerclub was build very close towards the fort. In fact, the tavern could be reached if you left the fort and keep on walking straight forward. The imperials originally build the tavern that close to the fort, so the soldiers in it had a place to spend some of their free time. As I mentioned before, the telvanni are not exactly known for their highly respect of the imperials, and most of the soldiers of the imperial legion stationed here in Sadrith Mora are, even if off duty, anything than very welcomed within the city.

Although the telvanni know not to provoke the soldiers to a fight and have coexisted peacefully until now, the hostility between the telvanni citizens of Sadrith Mora and the soldiers of the imperial legion are often so intense, that the tension between both sides is almost touchable. But those problems are not of my concern. My only concern is to maintain a low profile and watch my back for master Neloth's spies as long as I'm here in Sadrith Mora.

Upon entering, Dirty Muriel's cornerclub looked like any other imperial made building. The walls, ceiling and floor are mostly made out of wood, the rest of stone and loam. Not like the telvanni buildings, which are basically nothing other than mushrooms, grown up to huge sizes by the aid of different kinds of magic, and then simply hollowed out and furnished for the people to live in. In a way, I liked the telvanni building style. It reminded me very much to the huts and shacks of which all the villages and city's of black marsh are made out. But maybe I should concentrate myself on more important things right now.

Upon entering, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I were regarded by a few suspicious looks, but most of the customers turned their attention back towards their own affairs just a few moments later. Most of the members of the thieves guild in here knew me, and also Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, the local guild master of the mages guild was anything but unknown to them. But according to all the stares which were focused on Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and me, they all did not know anything about my friendship with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade. And seeing a known and skilled thiefmage, walking side by side with a master wizard of the mages guild truly is an eye catch. At least an eye catch for all the people who knew me.

Most of the thieves inhabiting the tavern were either members of the thieves guild, or freelancers who scout the place out for a profitable target. I was used to the silent stares of thieves examining me from head to tail since my puberty, and therefore was more than just used to it and also knew what needs to be done to keep my stuff in my possession. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade on the other hand was anything than used to atmospheres like this, and I could almost hear his heart starting to beat faster, as he grew more and more nervous by the minute.

But what needs to be dine, needs to be done regardless of the circumstances. "Stay close, and you'll be fine." I whispered towards a very uncomfortable Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, who simply nodded in silent agreement. Usually, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade is not exactly the kind of mage who feels himself threatened by a bunch of thieves, but the last encounter with a thief and the consequences which emitted by the items robbery seemed to have left a clear mark on Skink-in-Tree's-Shade.

In anyway, we were far to much now to turn around only to have Skink-in-Tree's-Shade catch his breath again and regain his composure. Keel-Raniur's safety was at stake, and I would not allow anything, or anyone, to come into my way. Not this time. After carefully scanning the large tavern area on the ground floor, I found myself quickly disappointed in my search. Shrugging, I walked over to the staircase and climbed the stairs up towards the first floor which inhabited yet another large tavern area.

This time however, my search was successful, as I found my desired target, the local guild master of the thieves guild, an altmer by the name of Big Helende, standing in a corner overlooking the tavern area, holding a goblet in her hands. The altmer seemed to be far more busy in overlooking the tavern, for he didn't seem to take any notice from me and Skink-in-Tree's-Shade. "Wait here, this won't take long." I said over my shoulder to Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, who simply shrugged and made himself on the nearest chair comfortable.

Walking up to Big Helende, I put a smile on my face as I greeted her. "Who's the best thiefmage in town?" I asked her in a slightly amused voice. The altmer turned to me, startled at first, but then she smiled. "Look what the guar dragged in. Sek-Raktaa, you filthy old scale, what brings you here? Looking for a job perhaps?" "Not directly." I replied smiling, taking the hand the altmer offered me.

"Why are you here then?" She asked me, offering me a goblet filled with what I believed to be sujamma. Declining the altmers offer for the drink, I quickly responded in a normal, calm voice "I'm looking for a certain thief." The altmer laughed, gesturing around the tavern. "The whole room is crowded with thieves." "That's why I said I was looking for a special one." I added to the altmers reply. "And what kind of thief would that be?" The altmer asked me with raised eyebrow. "Has any of your thieves broke into the mages guild over in Wolverine Hall and stolen an item from the local guild master Skink-in-Tree's-Shade?" The altmer frowned. "Why would you want to know that, if I may ask?"

Okay, the hole thing is truly anything but Big Helende's business. But then again, she's only concerned about the people which she is responsible for, and I respected that. "I got threatened by Orvas Dren himself, that he would kill my girlfriend if I didn't retrieve a certain item from Skink-in-Tree's-Shade's possession for him." The altmer seemed to be taken aback by my answer for a moment, then regained her composure. "That's... very tragic. I'm sorry for you. Of course, considering the situation your in, I will help as much as I can." "And?" I asked impatiently. The altmer hesitated for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.

"Well, a couple of days ago, a strange dunmer walked in here and talked with Shra'dir, one of my best khajiit thieves, about some kind of freelance job. He seemed to accept for he told me to be away for a while shortly afterwards. Twenty four hours later, he was back again in old shape, didn't spoke however about the thing he made. Never asked him in the first place to be honest, but if you want to talk to him..." "Yes?" The altmer pointed across the tavern. "He likes dark nieces in which he has the whole tavern area within his eye reach. Try somewhere over there. I think he sits there somewhere in the shadows, looking to deep into the bottle or something." I nodded in both response and respect. "Thank you, Big Helende. You were a great help to me." "No problem. Come back if your looking for a small job and easy money." "I'll try to keep that in mind." I replied, as I walked back to where Skink-in-Tree's-Shade was waiting for me. "And?" He asked me curiously, as I approached him. "Looks like we're on our trek." I replied as I motioned him to follow me.

Shrugging, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade rose up from his seat and followed me quietly to the dark nieces of the tavern area. It actually didn't took me very long to find the khajiit, sitting at the end of a common wooden table with on eye on the tavern area and one eye on his goblet filled with some kind of ale, probably sujamma or mazte or some other of these hard to swallow Morrowind ales. Our approach however was anything but unnoticed from the khajiit, who watched the both of us now more closely.

"Welcome, friend. What can Shra'dir do for you?" The khajiit asked me politely. I greeted him with a polite smile, as the both of us, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I, too our seats next to Shra'dir. "You could answer us a few questions." I replied calmly, as the khajiit raised his eye brows slightly. "What kind of questions, friend?" The khajiit asked warily. "You could tell us, if you were the one who has stolen a certain artefact from Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, the local guild master of the mages guild." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade said before I even got the chance to say something. For a brief moment, the khajiit had a very surprised expression on his face. Then he seemed to calm down again and leaned back in his seat.

"So, your the legendary Skink-in-Tree's-Shade then, eh? Well, seems you found me. And? What are you going to do to me now?" "Asking you who paid you to steal the artefact from me." He replied calmly and anything but hostile. "And that's it? You would leave me in peace then?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade nodded. "As long as you promise not to steal from me again." Shra'dir thought for a moment, then shrugged and leaned back against the stone wall again. "Well, I think I can live with that." "Good." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade replied nodding. "So, who has paid you to steal the artefact from me?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked someway impatiently. Shra'dir shrugged. "Don't know exactly. It was a dunmer, who seemed to be from the telvanni, but other than that I know nothing about him. His name was... uh... let me think... Sarge Tokares? Yeah, I think that was his name. Sarge Tokares." I nodded in reply. "Do you have any idea where he lives." "Sadrith Mora is big, my scaly friend, but I think that his house, or is it a tower? Ah, no matter. Anyway, I think that his estate is somewhere near Tel Naga, but that is all I know about him, sorry."

The both of us nodded, as we rose up to our feet again. "You helped us enough. Thank you very much." "No problem. See you." "farewell." After we said our good-byes, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I left the tavern, heading towards the centre of the city where the mighty tower of Tel Naga ragged into the air. Where one of my worst mortal enemies had his residence, and where I hopefully would be able to retrieve the Claw of the Dragon, to free Keel-Raniur from the grasp of Orvas Dren.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before, but Sadrith Mora was anything but a small city. In fact, it was one of the greatest city's here on Vvardenfell. And therefore it took us sometime, about half an hour, until Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I had reached the city centre, where the huge tower of Tel Naga ragged into the air.

Like I said, master Neloth and I are anything but friends, and Sadrith Mora also was crawling with his spies and assassins. In order to avoid any unwanted attention by Neltoh's thugs, I had to move hereby with my cloak closed and my face hooded, to keep as long undetected as possible. But in any way, it wouldn't be very long until someone recognises me and tries an assassination in a nearby dark alley. I would have to keep an close eye on my surroundings by now.

However, after asking around some of the citizens, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I where finally managed to locate the exact whereabouts of Sarge Tokares' mansion, which was actually very close to the small hill that lead up to the tower of Tel Naga. Tokares mansion however turned out to be just exactly what I expected, a standard telvanni style living mushroom with three floors altogether, made of a small basement, a large ground floor and a smaller first floor and that was it. Conceding the fact that this Sarge Tokares only possessed a standard telvanni living mushroom, I guessed that he was only a small time courier or assistant for one of the more powerful mages within the house.

Be it as it is, but this Sarge Tokares currently either possessed the Claw of the Dragon, or knew at least where I could find it. I just hope for his own good that he still has the Claw of the Dragon. Knocking a few times on the front door, I found myself however quickly disappointed in the hope that Sarge Tokares was at home. Either that, or he was just to lazy to open the door. In anyway, I neither had the time nor the patience right now to play along in one of these games, and was just about to pick the look with my precious lookpicks, as I realised that the door wasn't looked. Shrugging the thought off, I put both my lookpicks back into the small pouch where they belonged, opened the door and entered, with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade following me close behind. Closing the door behind him, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I surveyed the room, but found ourselves quickly in an empty room.

The ground floor was of expensive looking furniture, as it was standard in Sadrith Mora, and other than the fact that it looked to be actually quite comfortable down here, there was nobody around. "Hello?" I called out through the living mushroom, but got no reply. "Hello?" Still no reply. "Looks like nobody's home." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade spoke out what I thought, and after shrugging, we both started to search the ground floor for the Claw of the Dragon, without any success. Not that I really expected to find something here on the first place. Artefacts like the Claw of the Dragon are usually kept in the master bedroom or the office of the employer, and not somewhere in the kitchen or the living room to be plain visible to everyone.

So I walked up the staircase that laid towards the first floor, with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade following close behind. Only to find myself in the middle of a blood bath. In front my feet, in the middle of the room which was actually a small foyer of the office and the master bedroom behind, was a corpse who seemed to be Sarge Tokares, dressed in some expensive clothes and a robe which were streaked with his blood. He lay on his back, and across his chest diagonal downwards to his stomach was a huge bloody gush, that seemed to spill a whole lot of Tokares blood across the room. Next to him was another corpse. Probably another dunmer, dressed in a special set of black armour. It happened to be a set of black chain armour, made of ebony, with black leather to hold it close together to the body and to prevent any treacherous noises while its wearer moved around with it. There was only one guild on Nirn, which manufactured and used this kind of armour. It was the illegal, but extremely powerful, assassins guild known as the dark brotherhood. I ran into these guys are a few times in my life. Sometimes even were killed while fighting them. There are truly times, in which immortality is quite handy.

I could hear Skink-in-Tree's-Shade gasp, as he examined the carnage in front of us, and even couldn't resist the urge to mumble a silent curse under my breath. This gets both, more complicated and frustrating. Judging by the ankles, in which the corpses were placed, the picture on how this carnage took place was partly clear to me. The assassins had tried to surprise Sarge Tokares in order to kill him, and judging by the mess which reigned on this floor, to steal the Claw of the Dragon from his possession. The surprise attack failed and Sarge picked up a fight, but lost nevertheless. Well, at least he managed to take one of them out, if I look at the large hole in the assassin's chest which probably was caused by a lightning spell which crashed into him at full force, and even more important, Sarge Tokares maybe even managed to leave us some traces on who could've send these assassins.

"Great. Just great. As thought we hadn't enough problems already." I heard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade muttering under his breath in frustration. "Considering how the circumstances are right now, it should be me who should make that remark." I replied dryly. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade shrugged it off and looked around the carnage with a questioning expression on his face. "Well, and what are we supposed to do now?" He asked me, seemingly lost and helpless right now. "We look for any clues that could lead us on the track of the employer of those assassins. But before we should do this, it may be a good idea to look if the Claw of the Dragon is still here." "Why bother? The remaining assassins have taken it with them anyway." "And that is exactly the thing we are anything but sure of. The only thing I see is right now is a very dead Sarge Tokares and a very dead assassin. If these assassins were just send and paid a rival of Tokaresa, then there is the chance that their only task was to kill Tokares and then get the hell out of here. And if this indeed happened, which I honestly doubt by myself for this would be too easy, then there is the chance that the Claw of the Dragon is still here."

"You like to be sure about everything, don't you Sek?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked me with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I didn't made it so far in the thieves guild, mages guild and the great house telvanni because I'm simply running into everything with my head first." I replied with the same hint of sarcasm in my voice. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade chuckled slightly, but didn't reply anything at all.

For the next hour and a half, we were both busy in checking the whole living mushroom from basement to first floor for any traces of the Claw of the Dragon, but like I feared, there were none. "And now?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked me as I once again surveyed the carnage on the first floor through expressionless, cold eyes. "Now there are only two options still available. The first is that the assassins were send to kill Tokares and bring their employer the Claw of the Dragon, which would be easiest possibility for we would only have to look for the remaining assassins. The second option is that Tokares was ordered to somehow acquire the Claw of the Dragon for one of the higher telvanni mage lords, and that the assassins were send by a rival of Tokares after he had delivered the Claw of the Dragon to that mage lord." I explained after kneeling down to examine both corpses more carefully.

"I see." I heard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade agree after a few short moments, then circled the carnage at his feet without taking his eyes from the bloody scenery. "So, that way or another, we are going after these assassins anyway, right?" "Since this would be the easiest and simplest solution, yes. But first we need some clues on that assassins identity." I replied scanning the scenery over and over again.

Skink-in-Tree's-Shade said nothing in return, but kept on looking around the area. "Hey, what's that?" He mumbled under his breath as he moved closer to a nearby wooden closet. "Hey Sek! Take a look at that." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade called out for me, forcing my mind back to reality. Shrugging, I rose up to my feet and moved where Skink-in-Tree's-Shade was waiting for me. "What is it, Skink? Found anything?"

Skink-in-Tree's-Shade said nothing in return, but suddenly waved with a bloody steel dagger in front of my nose. "Look what I've found. Can I keep it?" Skink asked me half jokingly with a smirk across his face. "No, Skink. Daggers are very sharp, you know, and I don't want that you cut yourself by accident." I replied jokingly with a big grin across my face. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade chuckled slightly, then handed the dagger to me. "What do you think of it?" "Maybe it belonged to the assassin." I said while examining the dagger closely. The blade was completely covered in dried blood, but nevertheless I was able to make a few marks on the blade out, which looked like engraved symbols. The only problem hereby is that I don't have any idea what these markings could mean.

"Here, do you see these marks?" I asked Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, pointing towards the fine, engraved lines of the bloody blade. "Interesting. I would say some kind of letters. Maybe a family mark or something like that. I don't know what it exactly means, though." He said while closely examining the dagger. "Your sure this is the dagger of the assassin? It also could be the dagger of Tokares." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked me with slight concerns about the current situation. "Pretty sure." I replied confident. "Telvanni mages like to decorate their homes with their family marks in someway, and since we didn't find these markings anywhere in the living mushroom while we examined it from basement to first floor, the only possibility is that this blade belonged to one of the assassins."

Skink-in-Tree's-Shade nodded and kept on listening while he kept on examining the marks on the daggers blade. "Let me guess," he finally said. "Your not sure by yourself what these marks could mean, am I right?" I nodded in agreement, as I cleaned the blade from the blood and put it into my belt. "Your right, I have not the slightest idea. But I know someone who might have an idea on what their meaning is. But first there is one little thing we have to check." "And that would be?" I walked over to the corpse of the former mage Sarge Tokares. "I want to be absolutely sure, that this dagger did not belong Tokares." Then I lifted up his robe and examined his clothes under it, especially the belt, for a certain, empty dagger sheath. There was none. "Well, no sheath here, so this dagger must really belong to our very dead friend over there." I let go of the robe and stood up from my kneeling position.

"And?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked after several moments. "Where do we go next?" "We go to Tel Vos, my friend. We go to Tel Vos." I replied, as I turned around and left for the entrance of the living mushroom, with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade following close behind.

The travel towards the docks of Sadrith Mora was however anything but easy. By the time we left the living mushroom of the now very dead Sarge Tokares, it was about afternoon, and the streets of Sadrith Mora were crawling with all kinds of citizens, going about their businesses. It seems that I was lucky this day however, for I didn't run into any trouble with master Neloth's bootlickers at all. Usually that was something that happened not everyday, for each time I visit Sadrith Mora, there is at least one assassination attempt on me. Not that I wouldn't be very happy that I'm spared this time, but in anyway that was no reason for me to let me guard down. After all, I was in one of the greatest city's of Vvardenfell at the moment, which was ruled by one of my worst enemies. I couldn't allow myself to become careless right now.

Nevertheless I found myself unharmed in anyway arriving at the busy port of Sadrith Mora, something I felt happy about but also encouraged me more to keep an eye on my surroundings. The docks of Sadrith Mora, like the docks of any other harbour, was a dark place known to attract assassins and all kinds of outlaws, who were planning to commit a murder without anyone to interfere or even to watch. If there is anyplace in the entire city of Sadrith Mora I would have to keep an eye out for assassins, then it would be here, in the middle of the docks.

The life of Sadrith Mora's harbour however went on like any other day before. Ships were either anchoring at the long, leafy looking docks or had already set their sails and moved out of the harbour towards their different directions. Many people of all races and ages were busy loading cargo of all kinds onboard the ships or loading cargo from the ships out only to move them either into the city or to the large mushroom like warehouses until they would be shipped to another harbour.

It was hard, even for a sailor, to orient himself in this large chaos of ships, cargo and people, but over time the children of the sea are getting used to this chaos, an ability which I probably will never earn. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I somehow made our way through the mass of people, until we finally reached a worker from the harbour and asked him for the next ship towards Tel Mora. "The next ship will leave the harbour in about an hour or two. Its the coast ship over there." The dunmer said, pointing towards a small sized ship with only one mast. After thanking the dunmer for his help, both Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I quickly made our way towards the nearby ship and boarded it.

"Greetings sera. What is your destination?" A member of the crew which was waiting onboard the ship asked us after we left the board. "Tel Mora." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade answered quickly. "Both of us." He added. The female dunmer nodded. "I see. That'll be 50 gold pieces then." Nodding, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade pulled the gold pouch out from under his robe and handed the 50 gold pieces the female sailor. "Thank you very much. Welcome onboard the Marimak. We'll leave for Tel Mora in two hours, you can either stay on deck or go under deck. As long as you stay away from the cargo and the captain's cabin, your free to go wherever you want. I hope you enjoy your stay." "Thanks a lot." Skink-in-Tree's-Shade said then the both of us moved to the other side of the ship, made ourselves comfortable near a few crates and waited for the ship to set the sail towards Tel Mora.

The small coast ship reached the harbour of Tel Mora late in the evening, and both of us, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I left the ship the very moment the board reached out and came into contact with the leafy docks of Tel Mora. We both would have to get to Vos which was on the opposite of Tel Mora, and the only way towards there was either by a boat or swimming. Although the seduction was high, I would prefer to reach Vos by boat for I was actually not very found of wet clothes. Quite the contrary.

My hopes of finding a boat that would take us over to Vos were however quickly shattered, as I glanced around the empty docks. Well, in a way I expected it to be this way. At night, the ship travel was usual very low, safe some of the bigger cargo and transport ships, and if I think more clearly about this, both Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I could use a long night of well earned sleep. Although I didn't exactly was very found of the idea to spend the night in Tel Mora.

Tel Mora was a strange place, being ruled by the telvanni councillor mistress Dratha. And mistress Dratha sure was the perfect example for the eccentric sorcerer. For some reason that is unknown to me, Dratha didn't like males. In fact, she hated males. And therefore, there were no males, no matter of which race, in Tel Mora. Even the guards happened to be all female, and that truly was more than strange. Then again, most telvanni are known for their little oddity's and strange and eccentric habits.

Anyway, both Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I quickly went about making our way out of the harbour into the outskirts of the small town, where the local tavern was located. The Covenant was, like any other telvanni "house", a hollowed out, oversized mushroom. The big difference to many other telvanni living mushrooms however was, that the Covenant was far bigger than most others here in Tel Mora, maybe about three times larger than a normal living mushroom.

The interior of the Covenant however, if you forget that you are inside an oversized mushroom instead of an ordinary house, looked like the interior of any other tavern on Vvardenfell. And like any other tavern at this time, the Covenant was crawling with customers. There were actually a lot of males among them, something not unusual here in Tel Mora for the Covenant was one of the few places in Tel Mora which mistress Dratha left alone. I already heard a few rumours, that males were literally thrown out of Tel Mora only because they walked into an area of the town, which was not allowed for males to enter. To make it short, Tel Mora is more than just strange place which shouldn't be visited any longer than maybe a night or two. I already couldn't wait for the sun to rise which would give me the chance to get out of this place as soon as possible. Walking up to the innkeeper, I paid the small fee for a room for the night, and left the tavern area towards the rent rooms with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade following close behind.

After entering the room and closing the door behind me, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade took his robe of and leant the staff against his bed, then simply threw himself onto the bed and waited for the sleep to come. Following his example, I took my cloak off and placed the sheath containing my daedric katana Bloodred Wind on a wooden table next to my bed, then simply laid down and slowly fall asleep.

Keel-Raniur dropped herself heavily onto the old hammock. The Day was horrible. After the more than just unpleasant confrontation with Orvas Dren, the cammona tong thugs had dragged her outside and pushed her onwards, until they reached the Caldera mines. The Caldera mines were a dark place, feared by every argonian and khajiit on Vvardenfell. Officially, the mines belonged to the eastern empire company and was run by free, willing workers of the eastern empire company.

The truth however was, that the responsibility of the mines belonged to the great house hlaalu. And the local governor of the empire and house hlaalu was a corrupted bootlicker of Orvas Dren's cammona tong. The cammona tong force slaves to do all the work, forcing them to work even harder than most other being are capable off. And then, from all the ebony the slaves had mined with their sweat, tears and blood, only 25 ever left for Cyrodiil, the other 75 were either used to forge weapons and armour for the higher members of the cammona tong or were smuggled out of Vvardenfell to whoever could afford it.

The guards simply dragged her along, past creatures which had been argonians and khajiit before the harsh conditions of the mine turned them into mindless, machine like workers with body's streaked with scars from the whips of their cruel masters of the cammona tong. Then they simply pushed a miners pick into her claws and forced her to do exactly that. Mining for ebony. After countless hours of slow torture, the slaves were finally allowed to lay down their work and return to their humble homes for a night of sleep. Humble homes. Indeed. The slave shacks were a bunch of tiny... well shacks, made out of slowly rotting wood in which four to five slaves lived together. It was a horrible life, and much to her dismay, this torture was not over yet. It was only a question of hours until this slow torture would start from anew.

Keel-Raniur's nude, green and yellow scaled body was covered in dust, dirt and her own blood. The wounds on her back still hurt from the countless times, the guards had hit her with a whip. Keel-Raniur's entire back was covered with a warm liquid, and she knew that the terrible wounds she had received would leave horrible scars which would sting on her back as long as Keel-Raniur lived.

She had to get out of here. The sooner the better. During her hard work in the ebony mines, she had heard rumours about a female kahjiit slaves who took care of all the other slaves. And she also knew about the existence of the anti slavery guild, the twin lamps, the fighters for freedom. Maybe, with that khajiit's help, Keel-Raniur might be able to start a rebellion and to escape from the clutches of her captors. This action would also recommend a huge time of planning, but it was possible to accomplish this task successful. Keel-Raniur would speak with that certain khajiit, and maybe they are able to find a way out of here. But for now, Keel-Raniur was far to tired to focus on anything else, so she simply closed her eyes, not carrying about what happened around her, and fell into a troublesome sleep.

The night was anything but restful, but in a way I expected it to be this way. I arose from the bed, groaning and rubbing my sleepy eyes. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade however still snored on his bed, but the way he kept on turning and rolling told me that he had a similar hard sleep as I had. Well, time is money, or so they say, and therefore I simply walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Skink." A soft groaning came from his form, as his eyes slowly opened and he blinked around him. "What time is it?" He asked, sounding very tired. It was obvious that he had a similar night as I did. "Early enough to start working. Come on, we've much to do." I replied, strapping Bloodred Wind on my back again and putting the black cloak over it. Skink-in-Tree's-Shade just yawned, then stretched and rose up from the bed, pulling his robe over his clothes and picking his wizard's staff up.

We left the tavern immediately after that, walked back to the harbour and took the first boat over to Vos. The whole travel took us about an hour, and the moment we had arrived at Vos and I stepped on the solid ground of the leafy docks, my stomach started to growl. And judging by Skink-in-Tree's-Shade's expression, he was pretty hungry himself. "I'm hungry." He finally said as we moved through the large harbour of Vos. "Me too. We get something to eat when we reached Tel Vos."  
"Tel Vos?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked, sounding slightly nervous. "Your informant is working within the tower of telvanni councillor Aryon?" I sighed out loud. I didn't tell Skink-in-Tree's-Shade anything about my informant at all, so it's time to tell him the truth. "He isn't only 'working' in Tel Vos. In fact, my informant is master Aryon himself." I finally said as calmly as possible.

"Whoa! Whoa! Wait a moment. Are you just telling me, that your big friend and informant within house telvanni is actually non other than master Aryon himself?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked him, not believing the words I just said. "Yes." I replied simply, shrugging. "And why didn't you tell me?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked, sounding slightly angered. Again, I simply shrugged my shoulders. "First of all, because you haven't asked. And secondly, it was me who persuaded some of the younger telvanni councillors to ally with the mages guild. And it's not a big secret that Aryon is one of them. He's a friend of the mages guild, and we can trust him." "Can we? Or can you?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade asked again, sounding more hostile now. "We can." I simply answered. "And how can you know?" "Because I was the one, who persuaded master Aryon to act against the old ways of house telvanni, and join the twin lamps." Now Skink-in-Tree's-Shade was baffled.

Like me, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade was an active member within the anti slavery guild, the twin lamps. And it also wasn't a big secret that one of the most powerful telvanno councillors, the mage lord master Aryon, had joined the twin lamps and had already helped many former telvanni slaves to escape to freedom. However, it was not very known, who exactly drove Aryon to join the twin lamps. Not that the leaders of the twin lamps didn't want to know who did, it was me who simply refused to tell them. I'm not very found of big fame for a simply deed like this, and I also told Aryon not to mention my name, when someone of the twin lamps asked him about the matter. Then someday, nobody seemed to care any longer about the thing and today the telvanni tower of Tel Vos, home of master Aryon, was the most important bases of the twin lamps on Vvardenfell, safe the argonian mission in ebonheart.

"Well," Skink-in-Tree's-Shade said after a while. "Alright, I trust your judgement. But the next time your about to do something like this, I would be very grateful if you would inform me first. I'm actually not very fond of running headfirst into the unknown." "Okay, okay sorry." I replied waving my hands in defiance. "Just follow me, alright?" Skink-in-Tree's-Shade nodded, but kept on glaring at me. Sure, I managed to erase some of the tensions between the mages guild and house telvanni after my alliance with them. Especially I managed to erase most of the tensions between mage lords like Aryon and the mages guild, but that doesn't mean, that members of the mages guild a very welcome within telvanni territories. It seems, that it will take a while for all the tensions to fade away. Of course under the condition, that people like my old friend master Neloth are removed from their positions.

Nevertheless, the both of us made our way towards the large telvanni tower of Tel Vos without any further interruption or conversation. I actually couldn't blame Skink-in-Tree's-Shade for being a little angry with me, but that would fade away within the next half hour. That I was sure of. I didn't took us very long to leave the outskirts of the medium sized city of Vos behind us, only then to follow the long path which leads towards the peak of a large hill, on which the telvanni tower of Tel Vos was located.

Tel Vos was a rather interesting structure, and also the first mark for anybody to see that not all telvanni are that conservative and traditional as master Neloth is. Tel Vos was like any other telvanni tower, a huge tower which was made out of an oversized, hollowed out plant, grown by the aid of pure magic. The huge difference between Tel Vos and any other telvanni tower on Vvardenfell however was, that the plant actually grew into the sky under the thick walls of a mighty castle. No, castle was not the right word. Fortress. Tel Vos is a fortress, which unites the telvanni architecture of magical plants and the imperial architecture of mighty, powerful walls and buildings made out of solid stone. And I actually felt quite comfortable within the organic and stone walls of Tel Vos.

After a couple of minutes, we both managed to climb atop the hill and now stood in front of the main gate to Tel Vos. The pair of dunmer, dressed in the usual telvanni bonemold armour, was about to keep us from entering, but recognised me from the time in which I performed the negotiations between master Aryon and the mages guild, and hence retreated immediately. Although keeping a suspicious eye on Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, who was an important member of the mages guild after all, the dunmer made no attempt of stopping and questioning him, me or even the both of us. Perhaps their reaction was influenced by my last unpleasant confrontation with the house telvanni. Shortly after I joined house telvanni, a dunmer guard in Sadrith Mora made the mistake in treating me with disrespect, a mistake he paid dearly for I broke both his hands as well as a couple of ribs afterwards. A more than just unpleasant confrontation, if I'm honest, but since that day no telvanni ever dared again to insult me in public.

Once entered the bowels of the unique telvanni tower, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I made short work in crossing the remaining distance between us and the chambers of the mage lord Aryon, and not soon after we both stood in front of the door that would lead us towards him. Opening the door, I walked in first with Skink-in-Tree's-Shade following close behind. Aryon's chambers were located on the very top of the unique telvanni tower, and like any other telvanni councillor he preferred to reside in the bowels of an oversized, hollowed out mushroom.

Walking through the organic penthouse, we found the mage lord Aryon sitting in his throne room with a rather bored expression on his face. The moment we entered the throne room however, Aryon seemed to snap out of wherever his day dreams had taken him, and he immediately arose from his seat to great me with a welcoming smile on his face. "Sek-Raktaa, long time no see. What brings you here, my friend?" He asked me politely, although keeping an close eye on Skink-in-Tree's-Shade, whose expression turned to stone as he simply kept on standing there, without the slightest emotion on his face. "And how did I gain the honour, to have the legendary master wizard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade as a guest in my humble tower." Aryon added quickly with a relative unemotional voice. A huge tension suddenly filled the room, as both, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and Aryon, kept on examining the opponent for any signs of emotion and to wait for their reaction. This was something, in which I could not interfere.

After a few more moments however, the tension slowly started to fade away as Skink-in-Tree's-Shade gave in and gestured around the room. "Well, to be honest it was Sek-Raktaa who brought me here, but I accept your kind offer of hospitality and feel honoured." Aryon nodded in return, gesturing for a few empty seats on the throne room. "Make yourself comfortable. I guess there is a lot we have to talk about." "Indeed there is." I added as I moved towards an empty chair, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and Aryon doing the same.

As we all had taken our seats and now were facing one another, was the first to speak as he focused his attention immediately on me. "Well then. What brings you here, Ske-Raktaa?" Without saying a word, I pulled the engraved dagger out of my belt and shoved it to Aryon. "You could tell what kind of dagger this exactly is." "Hmmm." Aryon hummed to himself as he examined the dagger very closely. "Well, that, my friend, is a Asurnatesh dagger." "And what does this mean?" I asked curiously. Aryon sighed. "Well, Salve Asurnatesh is a powerful and influent wizard within the house telvanni, although he has not yet tried to raise in the ranks of the house and become more powerful. I know and hated him since my youth, for he can be very obsessive, intriguing and treacherous. There is absolutely nothing that would prevent him from reaching his target and in order to do just that, every method is welcome to him. Bribing, intimidation, murder, to mention some of the methods he likes to use. Why do you ask?" "Well," now it was my turn to sigh. I told Aryon everything. From the moment Skink-in-Tree's-Shade recruited me to steal the Claw of the Dragon to the moment I opened the door to find Sarge Tokares corpse in front of me.

"Well, sounds like you've managed to get yourself into a whole lot of trouble." Aryon said sounding slightly amused. "That's not funny Aryon!" I snapped, losing both my patience and good manners for a brief moment. "I'm sorry, Sek." Aryon quickly apologised. "Well, as I said, I knew and hated Salve Asurnatesh since my youth, and as far as I know he currently lives in a rich manor in the plaza atop the telvanni canton in Vivec. But that is everything I know." Nodding, in response, I thought over what Aryon told me and quickly got up again. "Well then. Thank you for your help Aryon." "I wish there is more that I could do to help you, but there is nothing else than offering you a save place to retreat and rest." "I know to honour your offer. But I'm afraid that we can't stay. Time itself is my worst enemy right." "I understand. I wish you my luck, Sek-Raktaa. And if you are in dire need, you can always count on my help." Then Aryon turned his attention to Skink-in-Tree's-Shade. "It was both a pleasure and honour for me, to meet you in person, master wizard Skink-in-Tree's-Shade." "The honour was all mine, master Aryon." Skink replied, nodding in respect. Then he too rose up from his seat and followed me out of Tel Vos towards our next destination, a city called Vivec.

Leaving the tower of Tel Vos behind us, Skink-in-Tree'-Shade and I quickly made our way back to the city of Vos, in which we would take the next ship to the city of Vivec. The harbour of Vos was as busy as always, with the difference however that most of the ships and boats that left and entered the harbour belonged to local fisherman. Walking over to the house of the local harbour-master, I surveyed a large piece of paper attached to the wall in which the ship plans for today were set up.

The next ship to Molag Mar would leave the harbour in a few hours, and from Molar Mar we could take the next ship that would take us over to Vivec. Walking along the docks, it didn't took us very long to reach the dock were the ship was located, a medium sized ship with three masts. Boarding the ship and paying the fee which would cost us the trip, we both made ourselves comfortable near the a few crates and waited for the ship to leave for Molar Mar.

The sun slowly started to rose up into the sky, as the ship reached the harbour of Molag Mar. The journey across zafirbel bay and azura's coast was much smoother than I actually thought it to be, and Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I got at least a little sleep before we both had to leave the ship as we reached Molag Mar. Molag mar was much less than a small outpost of the temple in the middle of the molag amur region, a dull landscape of grassy pathways interrupted by a small array of trees here and there "green and leafy Morrowind-mod). It was funny though. Just a couple of years ago, the molag amur region was, like most of Vvardenfell, a region with an intense hostility towards any living creature. But then, after the nerevarine, a marshsister by the name of Ral-Jiktar, destroyed the wannabe god Dagoth Ur, his influence on the landscape around red mountain collapsed and soon after, the nature slowly started to claim the territory back, that was taken from her a long time ago.

Nevertheless, even with all these grassy clearings and tree isles, the molag amur stayed a region which did anything but attract the interest of the dunmer or anyone else for that matter. But for me, the only thing interesting right now was to get the next ship to Vivec in order to finally claim the Claw of the Dragon, and to return it to Orvas Dren. I didn't make much fuss about hiding my contempt about the conservative and hostile ways of the tribunal temple, which surprisingly still had much of its former influence, and therefore wanted to leave this cursed place as soon as possible.

It wasn't much time later, that Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I managed to charter another ship for the final trip to Vivec. The only problem however was, that the ship will only set its sails after the next dawn, and after boarding it Skink-in-Tree's-Shade and I quickly vanished in the bowels of the ship to enter a small cabin which was given to our use for the trip, and let sleep overpower me.


End file.
